The childhood that I never had..

The pungent smell of the rain

Drenches me in its nostalgic drizzle,

I am soaking in the faint memories of my childhood

That I never had.

Dad’s wake-up kiss

His warmth

Never breached the brim of his heart;

Articulating love was forbidden.

Mom’s love packed in the lunch box

Was blatantly mild,

It savored the hunger

Leaving the child in me starving for love.

The ride on dad’s bicycle to the school

Were the joyous rides ever;

The child that I never was

Was thrilled.

The blooms were gorgeous

The trees were green

And, the child that I never was

Bore a chubby cheek.

The sound of rain

On an old tin roof

Reminds me of my tender phase

Of being pristine and hopeful.

But then, the pungent smell of the rain

Carried thunders and storms

In the droplets

And, the child in me was put to sleep.

Copyright  @ Ajay Pai 2016   | Image courtesy: AJ's personal collections

poem