so forget the world
and play
what's on your mind

let your notes wander 

like cotton seeds, settling

upon those unsuspecting

we'll walk
this night through
fearlessly, because

this is just
our untitled song
from an unknown album

chai wala

little boy,
brown shirt,
khakhi shorts

skipping through
narrow alleys
with your chai carrier

and your constant,
cheeky grin
hanging around

curiously, as
groups of people chat

leaning against the wall

cigarettes lit,
some planning weekends
some talking of previous ones

others taking you
through the day
and office politics

you listen carefully
as you wait for the glasses
to the 4 pm gossip

knowing that the rest
awaits you tomorrow
no story remains unfinished.

after they all sleep

alone,
empty basketball court
silence shifts restlessly
under a clear night sky

you are my own

and only mine

grief,

you cannot be shared.