BY RUCHIRA GHOSH

In a little town by the seaside,

Many moons ago, I met a sailor;

Who had traversed the globe,

Many times over; the roaring oceans,

The massive continents, were,

Trivial to him, as toys to a child.

He spoke of his numerous voyages,

I caught a glimmer in his eyes;

Tremor in his voice as he ruminated.

Fate had thrown us together,

Time hung heavy on our hands.

Slowly, softly an unseen bond grew

And we found ourselves enmeshed.

I loved the Bohemian in him,

Admired his free reckless spirit;

Unfettered by life’s toils and care.

After dusk, we roamed the streets,

Hand in hand, often our arms linked;

Busy in conversation, light banters.

Some days we sat on the promenade,

Watched the tide coming in;

Felt the bracing sea breeze,

On our faces, ruffling our hair.

He described the sea in myriad moods,

Sometimes furious, at time tranquil;

Vividly, for he had seen it all,

Unlike us who are bound to the shore.

We shared our hopes and dreams;

It was he who kindled my passion,

For the vast, deep, wide ocean,

Vibrant, pulsating with life.

The hours flew, the night deepened;

Yet we were in our own world,

Locked in each other’s arms.

We kissed under the starlit sky;

Often a crescent moon,

Was witness to our rapture.

Finally one day, it was time,

To part, go our separate ways.

I was called back to my dear home,

While he was ordered to set sail again.

As the train chugged out of the station,

From my carriage I bid him adieu,

Saw his lithe figure receding;

A few minutes later he disappeared,

Gone out of my life forever.

For I never saw him again.

Alas it was curtains down,

On our summer night’s dream.

The only memory I have of him,

Are three books he gifted me.

He was a part of the sea,

Like a piece of driftwood;

He had floated into my orbit,

Only to drift away again.

In my mind’s eye I still see him,

In a remote corner of the earth;

Leaning on rails of a deck

Gazing at the unbounded sea…

 

New Delhi-based Ruchira Adhikari Ghosh hails from a family steeped in English literature. She grew up on a diet enriched with Hans Anderson’s Fairy tales, Grimm’s Fairy tales, besides Enid Blyton’s works. An English (Hons) graduate from Panjab University Chandigarh, she also holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from the same varsity. A professional journalist, she has regularly contributed to noted dailies viz Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Pioneer, beside upmarket journals like Society and Savvy.  She writes simply to give vent to her vibrant imagination and her tumult of emotions.