MURALIDHARAN-PARTHASARATHY

 

 

Andrew

 

‘Reading station is next’ the announcement called

He put his mobile charger in the backpack

and I got up for him to get ready

 

From Paddington, in the 25 minutes journey

I had mostly fallen silent

I had expressed my embarrassment

and his timely appearance before the judge

only saved me yesterday

I thanked him profusely in Hyder Park

he didn’t make a big deal

When I mentioned he will remain the best friend ever

he simply pointed high above to the skies

and asked what I see

I focused for a while and found

high above many black birds were moving

in an array

I took out my mobile phone and shot a photo

zoomed and found there were many black colored birds

“These are not exactly black

and one is Swallow and the other is Swift”

I appreciated his knowledge about birds

“These are migrating to tropical regions

for the next two months before winter in batches,

they migrate together. Simple. They never talk of

friendship or anything big,” he patted me

I wondered why he was suddenly

elaborating on birds

“You helped me with your notes

on commercial law and owed this to you,” he continued.

“friendship is too big a word,

it means commitment and almost family like,

and I am not into all that”

He got down at Reading

 

After getting down at Oxford

and while bicycling I recalled the tips

he gave me on bicycle maintenance

His first name is Andrew

He didn’t continue after fall

and informed he may continue in another sem

later I lost his touch

In this bird sanctuary

I explain briefly about birds to my son

Andrew would have done it better

 

Steve

 

“I wasn’t avoiding you,” he said,

“at this late hour only I can relax,

the tasks suck lot more than

the people pressing for output.”

 

“I even now want you to think

why we can’t be friends,” she paused,

“a breakup need not make us just ex!

we can be friends you know”

 

“I don’t want you to forget

why we broke up,” he was brief

“I agree I started keeping touch

with some of the junkies

but I really wanted to only assure them

they can too like I did”

 

“It’s very late

I had a long day,”

“I get it,” she replied

“you are the only person so close to

me in the sober world

I stand to remember how important

it is to be sober- when with you”

 

“I need more time,” he replied

 

As the next addict’s file

displayed the name ‘Steve’

she smiled how that Steve

was so much for her once

 

MURALIDHARAN-PARTHASARATHY

 

MURALIDHARAN-PARTHASARATHY: He has been nominated for the ‘inspiring author’ award by ‘theindianawaz’ for 2021. He is an active member of many global literary societies, and a poetry/book reviewer. His poems have been published by many literary magazines and websites all over the world. He is well-versed in all genres of poetry like free verse and haiku and has participated in the Haiku meets in London. He has translated two books including Shashi Tharoor’s  ‘Why I am  Hindu' into Tamil. His blogs on poetry reviews stand out.  His first poetry collection ‘Exiting the oblivion’ is now on Kindle.