THE NECTAR OF LOVE AND AFFECTION

Daily afternoon, after lunch interval

when the Sun was in his prime

it was her pleasure

to stand by the side of

the window of 13^th floor of her flat

gifting herself, to the winds blowing from the sea

a slice of which was visible to her

which looked like a glistening blade

under the searing Sun.

Parting the rose-window curtains

to have a glimpse of

a slice of the sea

glistening like a blade 

and the coconut vendor

standing behind a pile of tender coconuts

attired in tucked a dhoti

a banyan and a towel

tied tightly around his head

with a sharp knife in hand

ready to serve sweet tender coconut juice

to the passersby

who were short in number during  day time

just one, two or three

she knew him and was a familiar

face to him since years.

Whenever she walked out

of the flat

she would approach him and seek

his welfare and about

his family in a hamlet in faraway Kerala. 

Upon seeing her

he would pick out

a tender coconut from the heap

knife the top of the coconut

serve the sweet , tender

nectar like juice, inserting a straw into it. 

In the evening the calm

sea of the day time

would evolve into a

violent beauty

with the waves lashing the shore

which reminded her of the roar of laughter

by the violent beauty

with the crowds of

visitors walking to and for

in singles and pairs

in groups cracking joke or secrets, politics, family matters, love

days developments  in the city

and everything  under the sun

simultaneously enjoying the

violently dancing beauty

with the reflections

of the stars and moon

dancing along with her.

The leaves of

the of the tree of time withered 

away unawares 

and one day a usual

parting her window  curtains,

she peeped thru the window.

To her shock and embarrassment

the coconut vendor

and his pile of tender

coconuts were not there  

and the sea was unusually

violent like her turbulent mind.

The coconut vendor never

came back

yet she like the Mother Sea

continued to peep through the window

expecting him one day.

Though he was none to her.

The sweet taste of the nectar

he had served her

she will never forget……