I Wait, Every Night

i wait
for you every night
to peck a kiss on my eyes
to sip the brine
that stood too long waiting for you,

i wait
for you in the dark of my room,
for your arms to envelope me,
for the warmth of your skin,
for the shiver, as your fingers lock mine,
for my dry lips to find moisture
in yours,
for my tongue to find life
in yours,
for your head to lie on my shoulders,
and mine to rest on your bosoms,
for the scent of your untamed hair,
and the smell of you,

i wait,
and I dream,
long and with eyes wide shut
your eyes unmoved,
as a warm line of tears
trickled from the corner of your eyes,
as if to say sorry,
and go on to ask,
why didn't you come sooner?,
your red eyes,
locked with my sleepy ones,
meeting one last time,
before the last few minutes,
i wish death could wait,
and why should it not,
when life waited for years

i wait,
day after day, 
as i light another diya,
whisper the same prayers,
one more time,
hoping my god will wake up
hoping it'd be soon,
i wait,
dusk after dusk,
for a new dawn
when your feet would lead to my nest,

i wait,
lying in my bed
amidst,
the dark, the tears and my pillow,
for you to come,
so we could share them,
the dark, our tears and our pillow,
between you and i,
they too are tired -
waiting for you,
been up many nights in a row,
or, was it not one endless night?
my heart aches,
the same like then,
and an old hindi song fills the room,
with a longing,
the same - like then,
caught between my heartache and my dreams,
i can see you walking up,
in your bobby-print brown-and-beige churidaar,
but it seems like a long red carpet,
and you take forever,
it's been a long wait
come soon,
before my heart 
falls asleep - forever!




© sashikant mohanty