I feel all that - Poem by Sarvajeet

 I Feel All That 

In my last life

We lived in a small village

Of butterflies and mango trees

We met in orchards, near the village pond

The freshness of your smell, your curves

Dirt marks, scratches on my back

Dry grass, twigs in your tousled hair 

We misbehaved, sang improper songs 

Your floral dresses, wind-blown skirt

Monsoon evenings, the disorder of your curls

Your body, half-open eyes, a river in spate

We offered marigolds to the village deity

Who lives where mountains melt into the sky 

We wondered whether the gods heard our prayer

Of red bangles, sacred fire, a house somewhere 

And then one day you stopped coming

I still feel that betrayal 

The loneliness, I felt for the rest of my life

Of half-written poems, unfinished paintings 

Lingering raw taste of midnight kisses 

The desire to hug you for one last time

I feel all that when I meet you in this life

I keep looking for you, in your eyes

I imagine memories we could’ve had

Of bitter winters spent snuggled, encased

Petty fights broken by wild embrace

I kept loving you, long after I died

I relive all that when I meet you in this life