Counting Days

By Abdul Kareem

here's a tale of words, trying to rhyme 

when he met the right person, at the wrong time

stumbled into you late this summer 

your shimmering eyes, i stood awestruck

low gaze, shy face and nature reticent

were you destined here or was i favoured by luck? 

kisses on the terrace and cuddles in bed

your shaky hands, and cheeks would turn red

indecisive and perplexed, but you'd come back to me 

i still don't understand why'd you leave? 

in dreaded displeased dysmorphia, i'd assure

you're the most perfect for me as you are 

in your hugs i found all my cure

and maybe we moved things quite fast, it's okay

i'd love you even more tomorrow, than i do today

in my confused identity, the first time i felt free

naive young man

i'd protect you as 

a sapling i'd water 'til it blooms into a tree

hold on to me, and we'd climb together

hardships-filled mountain of life with ease

when we'd reach the summit, then as an avid reader 

i'd recite out loud to you, my love letter

i wrote wide awake the first night we kissed

to the baby boy i loved, oblivious of the future, i missed.

and boy, i hope you remember

when you lit my heart, turned into embers

not once, but on five different days

promised to never again see my face 

1st of july, ripped my heart apart 

but the coming 8th, you went for blood 

On 12th, you distanced a bit too far 

19th, i was accustomed, as if made of stone

but didn't expect on 30th, i'd feel it in my bones.

can we please go back to the day we met? 

when butterflies growled, and heart paced 

at an unprecedented rate, we kissed and life seemed set 

and i'd smile at you, silly little puppy-faced 

can we please go back to the first time you touched me?

when we knew everything even being quiet

dreamed of the life to come, and we 

would entangle in bed in the young night

there goes no day when i crave that touch

"please come back, i miss you so much"

I'd fill my diary with our sweet nothings

i hope you know, you're still my everything. 

surely we're burned for better, and i'm ready to wait

'til you make your mind and come to a state

of certainty about us, no matter what it takes

we'd make an evermore couple, and bring to life

of houses and holidays we dreamed about

and reminisce the beginning when we stood in awe 

completing each other like pieces of a jigsaw

i'm counting down to 21

if i can't have you, i want none

so come back, be here and let me wrap

you under my cardigan, and we would chat

'til the dawn and i'd kiss your smile 

narrate you incidences of all this while 

the ingenuity of sweet 17, young radiant glow

maimed but smiled, ceased the emotional flow

promise to be your shelter when it rains

and if you don't mind, can we begin again?

By Abdul Kareem