STARS

That night

The two of us

Lay on our backs

Upon the terrace

Huddling in the mat 

For some space

Holding hands tight

In the faint moonlight,

He pointed his finger

Right up at the sky

And began playing

 A game of

Counting stars.

He started from one

And reached to none

For he kept counting

The same star

Again and again

Game or no game 

They all appear same.

My eyes were moist 

I giggled.

He sniggered.

And we ended

Hugging each other tight

Upon the terrace

Under the faint light

Of the moon

And the forever

Twinkling stars.

The warm and cosy hug

Lasted for only a moment,

But I had consumed

By then

All the warm breath

Stimulating my mind 

I experienced 

That love is blind

This resulted in the

Adrenaline rush

And I devoured

That momentary treat

Of love and fulfillment.

It's night again.

My hands are clasped

So tightly,

That I gasped

I feel strangled 

And suffocated.

Lying on my back 

Upon my mat

I think of those knickknacks

He got for me as gifts.

To this day I treasure

They give me pleasure.

I'm gazing at the sky

The eyes now dry

Trying to search

That one star

Which he claimed

Resembled me.

The warmth of the clasped hands

Left them sweating.

I rose from the mat

Gently placing 

My palm upon my heart

That didn't palpitate

It was calm

Beating in its own pace

While I was alone in the terrace 

I concluded

It has ached enough

And the condition

Would further worsen

If I let it all alone.

I inspected the sky

For one last time

Dusted my shirt off

Mud and grime

That he'd smeared

On my body whole

The lies and deceit

Accumulated in my heart and soul.

The star my eyes hunted for

Was covered by floating cloud

Like the carcass of 

My blind belief 

Covered by shroud.

Today,

All stars look alike.

They are heavenly bodies

I conclude,

They aren't the dead souls,

The lost hopes,

The shattered dreams,

They are no more 

Foolish stories

Tantrums and pranks.

They are just the luminous objects 

And

Navigate the travellers

In the desert, sea and land.

He used all the baits

To own me 

And walked past  

Guilt free.

He must be lying

Again with someone

On her terrace

Holding her hands

Smiling at her beautiful face

Pointing at the sky

And once again

Counting stars.