Walking Beside You

A poem for an old friend.

Walking Beside You

 

We lazily walked down

The entire length, of our favorite

Street, halted briefly to buy some cigarettes

Left our memory with the shopkeeper

in the form of

Used match sticks.

 

Halted abruptly at the bridge

Admired the canopies of its neighboring oaks

And counted the departing lapwings

As if we had five directions on each hand

 

You asked me if I was normal

I calmly smiled and ignored

The very crux of your confusion

 

We were only seventeen

And still trying to understand

The value of the more boring things in life

 

I remember how your hair

Would speak to the wind

When you forgot to tie it in the morning

 

Then you would ask me to recite

Your childhood lyric

And we’d make a mockery of our existence

 

Those days I remembered how to smile

Instantly, without stimulus

When we would sprint over the bridge

And trip carelessly onto the lakeshore

 

But

These days I’ve forgotten what it is

To walk beside you

Ever since you found a better companion

 

In the hands of a wheelchair.

Reviews

[indieRokker]

The innocence of Life and adolence is something we all catch as a beautiful glimpse in the port of our memories. You have caught a glimpse of beauty in this peace, the end gave a nostalgic feeling. You did well in this poem.

keep on writing
indie♥

[MissWordSmith]

Very nice work you got here.
Unique, definitely. As I read it I felt like this came from someone young, yet very mature. This piece is calm, observant, and really, I'll say it again, UNIQUE.
I see you are from Bombay, and maybe I connected that and the poem, and just kept seeing Queen's Necklace in my mind as I read.
A really nice write. I didn't particularly like the ending... not the way you wrote it.. just the truth in it.
Keep up the good work!

[Miss Coral]

Very sweet poem, with a sharp and eye opening ending. Sure took me out of my reverie. :)

Beautiful imagery, especially the stanza describing her hair. Altogether, a wonderful piece. Looking forward to reading more. :)

Coral

[Samuel Dickens]

A sweet tribute to your friend, filled with the little details of life worth remembering. The description of the hair is especially nice.

[An owl on the moon]

There is such a tenderness you share, moments that will never be forgotten playing back over memories. Your words choices bring about the connection.. the emotion. And then.. the last lines strike with a bittersweet song of letting go.

[Gomer LePoet]

This is super cool Ishan. the early line of leaving our memory in the form of match sticks, is very deep and sets the tone. Sad ending, think you place too little value on your companionship.

[Brokensoul]

I thought it was just a nostalgic piece reminiscing old days. but the last few lines are poignant and tragic!

[Bhavya Kaushik]

I liked the idea behind this piece a lot, though the structure can be improved, but still that can not take away the emotions.
Very well penned here.

[Ishan Sadwelkar]

Thanks Gandre.
I like your poems too! HAHA !