Custom Search

She Sang Spring
(A Short Story in Verse)

by Geetashree Chatterjee
(New Delhi)

The Wilting Flowers

She sang spring while I saw winter in the shadows of her eyes
I stooped low to croon into her ears 'Everything's gonna be fine, y'know?'
Her cheeks glowed while bad breath fanned my face
She and the bedspread looked alike
Puritan, sparse, clinical the room with heavy drapes
Sculpted shadows while hopes fled to a distant land
The doctor with the bald head and a gray sprinkle of a mustache
Shook his head gravely and said, 'Call her friends and relatives, if you may,
Cancer, you know, it is the last stage.'

How do I tell the doc her spirit is still wild?
The Bohemian nights, the party prowls,
The mornings with the endless cups of steaming black coffee!

I let the mobile ring before I mouthed a 'Hullo'
It was difficult to tell
How do you describe hell?
What address do you write?
When the soul says Au Revoire
It's all over now!!..

The nurse with the dark brown eyes
Said soothingly, 'It's been a bad night
Why don't you go down and have a cup of tea?'
My legs strained.

In the canteen on the ground floor
Somebody had thoughtfully left
The morning news paper on the table
As I sipped a tasteless cup
My eyes went involuntarily to the headlines
'The Government proudly announces
The setting up of a new Nuclear Power Plant
On some remote soil!!!'

I remembered her Chemo sessions
And putting my head down
Onto the crook of my arm
Resting on the dirty table
I wept like a child!!!

Comments for She Sang Spring
(A Short Story in Verse)

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Apr 01, 2011
Rating

A NOTE OF THANKS
by: Geetashree Chatterjee

Your encouraging words will go a long way to improve my skills. Thanks and Regards from the bottom of my heart.

Apr 01, 2011
Rating

Tanjujadi
by: Geetashree Chatterjee

After a long time, I am so glad to hear from you that too by way of comment. Don't you think its high time that we should exchange our e-mail IDs? And oh yes! Thanks for the inspiring comment!!

Mar 31, 2011
Rating

A well written poem!
by: Lakshmi

Hi Geeta,

A well written poem, which touched my heart. Through your beautiful description you take the reader along with you. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful poem!

Mar 28, 2011
Rating

She sang spring...and made me cry
by: Tanuja Chatterjee

Oh Shree! You are a genius! A gr8 jugglar! How come you feel sooo deeply! How come you touch the depths of my heart! ITS JUST AWESOME!

Mar 28, 2011
Rating

A Note of Thanks
by: Geetashree Chatterjee

In more than one ways I am thankful to you for reading my verse. Regards

Mar 28, 2011
Rating

She Sang Spring
by: Sneha

Beautiful, stark, deep. Reminds me of Sylvia Plath in ways more than one.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Poems.