It was not the distance but the direction
That kept me from you
Searching through cosmic marvels
Within each duality
Though I did hear your call
And I know you heard mine
Why else would I be drawn towards you?
Irresistible, though the magnetic pull was no more than zero
(and no less)
Spinning through void within void
Where energy is enslaved by vibration
(and also conceived)
I uttered the name of your sound
The separation between you and I was devoid of space
Even time did not dare
All I had to do was wait
If only I knew how…

***

Last Sunday, I met Shirish ji and found out that he paints as a hobby. Exactly one week later, early this morning, I messaged him to ask if I could see his paintings and perhaps use them as inspiration for my poetry. As I was falling asleep (for a very rare lie-in), some words came to me and I quickly jotted them down. I woke much later in the morning to find Shirish ji had messaged me and sent me some of his beautiful paintings under the series Pratiksha – Waiting. The poem I had jotted down was also about “waiting”! And yet I do not believe in coincidences! What do you think?

Many thanks to Shirish Pandit for the kind permission to use his painting for my poetry. Please do watch this space for more of his work.