"Faded"

By Khushbu Khetawat

Has your once familiar feeling turned unknown? 

Whenever I look at you now, 

all I can think of are the memories you gave me 

the promises you either broke or never completed.

I feel so fully empty sometimes.

Speaking of that unknown feeling that used to be known, 

does it ring a bell? The one that used to bring butterflies to my stomach?

A part of you and me is still somewhere together,

maybe waiting for us to fully dive into our fairytale. 

But who knows if it will happen or not.

Until then, why don’t we make this unknown feeling familiar again? 

Instead of frowns, back to smiles.

Instead of cold stares, back to warm welcomes. 

Instead of handshakes, back to hugs.

Instead of I and you, back to us again.

Why don’t we? What is stopping us? 

Oh right. For something to be familiar again, 

we have to forget the past, 

erase each other's memories, 

and paint on a new canvas;

But we have run out of paints.

There is only black paint left.

No worries. I’ll paint the canvas black, 

hoping to find you in the shadows with a set of colours. 

This time, I will hand you the brush 

because you know that I will 

paint it red again. 

By Khushbu Khetawat