IVORY

 

IVORY

 

Entire life, when alone in silence,

Very often floats a beautiful face,

Married settled with son married,

Hidden in my heart closed chamber,

Secrets of my love spontaneous,

When youth touched this heart,

Concealed underneath my love,

First knew love speechless fumbled,

Captivating look fare skin glowed,

To height small, shoulder-length,

Sharp nose, long hairs wavy thick,

Right up to her knee, freely swaying,

White saree blue border, blouse,

Book notebook at bosom walking,

Pinkish lips natural beaming smile,

Dark eyes so penetrative eyebrows,

Cycled behind her in the afternoon,

Leaving college for home after lab,

Lonely was that road I was standing,

Road parallel, she was walking alone,

That day I wished her friendship,

She must be in high school ending,

Her complexion, gait, long hair,

Bangles colored, wristwatch slim,

I stood for a few minutes, returned home,

Joined next day engineering college,

Burdens of study bade-out system,

I had to prove myself to continue,

She hunted my dreams a nightmare,

Feared performance burning lamp,

Felt surreal her presence silent night,

For fractions of a second, her face floating,

First, I felt a pain in my heart, acute,

It was sheer physical love that attracted,

Missing, strange girl knew not her name,

Never could know her house address,

Local girl, I was dreaming erratic,

First semester over success excellent,

Moving for home semester break,

Sang film songs heart was searching,

Was my life film style to search for my love?

Or search exam result flying color,

In study capable night long,

Mind explores worlds unknown, science,

Technology, innovative, challenging,

Exhausting for hours of concentration,

Escape from small room to wide road,

Nearby, a canal lake size, calm water,

Cold wind refreshing the road, I slept,

Open shirt buttons, look at stars, listen,

Cricket noisy incessant told solitude,

Jungle from a hostel, road dissects,

Use to walk like a ghost, missing love,

Where you dear, wait for the degree,

I shall meet you, propose someday,

Proudly give my details an engineer,

Hope you accept me as a life partner,

Got graduation dared to search address,

Searched lanes, by-lanes failed,

Never knew your name reason stark,

Graduate, by now married, in-service,

Helped wife to forget her charisma,

Never dare to usher first love a figure,

Imprinted in closed chamber ivory,

Heart young, my first love captured.

 

@ Bijayananda Mishra