ONCE AT SIXTEEN

ONCE AT SIXTEEN
Copyright © SHRAVANI MUKHERJEE

It was a winter day all cold

I was a teen on my sixteen threshold

Saw you for the first time in a new light

While my friends were cheering our team in a fight

In that geeky battle of wit, facts and whiz

Found myself quizzing my new feelings

The weird feeling of loss although the game we won

Was there as I lost my heart, I gave it to you

The battlefields changed but the game was same

We met few more times again and again

Never got a chance to say a good hello

And it was already a goodbye to that life for a new

A brand new college life was to start

So friends said: “Forget your crush sweetheart! “

School life was over, I had to move on

Away from fantasy and my only dream song!

By some divine mesh, in my second decade

We caught up with each other yet again

This time we strummed the friendship note

But already since sixteen been sailing a loveboat

It was therefore hard to pretend all along

Then I knew it wasn’t a mere crush, not at all!

Gradually, got to know bits and bytes about you

Your humor, talent, your girl and how happy in love are both of you

That was it . . . ! the world had crashed,

It was high time I pulled the plug and went for acoustic bass

Too long I had been blindly swimming in this pool

How could I not see? I’d been such a fool!

My foggy selfishness obscured my sight

Forgot my love was unrequited from one side

Now I know things got to end

Feelings have to be murdered and dreams to be dead

Never ever want you to fall for me . . .

Just because I had feelings for thee

Time and again our paths may cross

But never I’ll confess my pain and remorse

My blank expressions and neutral smile, will give no clue

That once at sixteen I fell in love with you!