A Poem: The Birdbath

Two birds were in a birdbath, singing sweet songs to the heavens, while a cat watched from a nearby window.

The sun was out and the blue sky hung low like an umbrella over the earth and its inhabitants.

And I didn’t move.

The wind blew and the birds flew away and the cat retreated to wherever it is that cats retreat to.

And I let out a sigh and thought of you.

Was it yesterday that we met at the college at your desk, when I looked at you and you looked at me and we smiled and said the words “Hello?”

Was it yesterday that we were married in the living room, when we signed the marriage contract and I looked at you and you looked at me and we said the words “Forever?”

Was it yesterday that our baby boy was born in the hospital, when we held the little guy in our hands and wondered what he’d be like when he grew and I looked at you and you looked at me and we said the words “We’re a family?”

Was it yesterday that you and the little guy walked outta my life at the airport terminal, when you walked up to the security guards and handed over your boarding papers and walked to that little tram they got there that takes you to the next station and got on, leaving me teary-eyed and numb struck, with a hollow empty pain in my chest and a tightening choking sensation in my throat, and I looked at you but you didn’t look at me because you were already on that little tram thing and I said the words “I love you. More than anything in the whole wide world. I love you. Even more than my own jugular,” but you didn’t hear me?

Was it yesterday that we were reunited, when that horrible numb feeling went away (but not the tears) and I grabbed you and you grabbed me and I stared into your eyes forever and you stared into mine a million times more and I kissed you and you kissed me and we said the words “It feels good to be together?”

Was it today that the birds came back to the birdbath, when the cat came back to the window and the sun came out (but not the wind) and the sky stayed blue like an umbrella over our head tops and I didn’t move cuz you were holding onto my hand?

Was it tomorrow that we sat on the patio, when we looked into each other’s eyes, saying nothing, as there was nothing more to be said, because we were just remembering the good times that we shared together during our lifetime and wondering where the heck all the time had gone to so fast in such a hurry and not believing how quick everything passed by in our lives faster than a flash of lightning or an eye blink, yet we were happy that we had made it so long together, that we were still friends, BEST FRIENDS, till the end of time, till we closed our eyes and went to sleep?

Was it a 100 years from now that our descendants looked through our old photographs and said, “Look at our ancestors, how hot they were; I wish we could have known them,” and were proud to say they were Bengali?

(C) copyright L.A. Sherman 2009.