Armour

By Indratapa Routh

Long before I knew you

I had gotten used to life in an armour.

Living in a tower, all bricks and concrete

No paint, no lawns, no light, no wind.

All alone.

"Alone's good," I had convinced myself

Betrayal not likely in a one man army.

And then, I met you.

"You shouldn't," I told me, though in soothe

I couldn't help but let you creep in.

I saw you crawl, two steps, then three

Wanting nothing more than to throw doors open.

Why? Never for no one had I,

Not in a million years. Why you?

One look, and I somehow knew.

Something about your stance shunned all doubts.

But how now? 

Been locked inside there for so long

Forgotten if there even was a key!

Sure enough, you read my mind 'cross iron bars

Picked the lock, and let yourself in.

I waited and waited, waited some more,

Waited for you to want to leave.

To my wonder, notwithstanding you stayed;

And begged my armour off instead.

"No way!" I screamed at you in shock

You nodded twice, and stayed anyway.

Following day, there were colours on the walls

Light poured in through the windows you cut

Roses in the backyard in place of hard floor

East winds blew in at last.

Not the terrifying kind meant to knock me down

But the serene kind, to sweep me off my feet.

My armour didn't stand a chance!

Not anymore.

And I stood in your vicinity.

Bare. Ugly scars running everywhere.

Your fingers reached out, a tender caress.

The power of it all! My eyes fell closed.

You smiled. And you made me realize

I didn't need walls to survive anymore.

By Indratapa Routh