Again, Love

Echoes of
Drawn by the heart’s irresistible pull,
That day I returned to the past.
I have returned before—
Many times—
In sleepless nights.
The day of separation
Turned into months,
Months into years.
We did not stay in touch—
Deliberately.
Yet sometimes
The pull grows stronger,
Like the rising tide in the sea.
Tears dry from the eyes,
But the salt remains behind.
I remember that day—
A Falgun night,
A tsunami roaring in my chest,
Sleep slipping away.
By then,
There was no trace of me in her eyes,
No scratch upon her heart,
No corner of her mind
Belonged to me.
Her eyes were filled with dreams,
Adorned with hopes
Of building a golden home.
The beloved would board her boat,
And upon the pyre named love
Sat a celebration—
The ritual of vermilion.
I possess nothing—
Never did.
Yet the heart believes
Something has been lost.
Perhaps an address,
Perhaps myself.
Lost—
I remain
Helpless.

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