“Loving only each other”, - you said, sipping a pink gin and tonic, -
“Is as silly as loving no one. Desires are circular,
Hence, no action or inaction acquires anything new
Beyond what we already have”.

A cold breeze blew through the wooden door of the pub,
Left open by careless waitress, who was busy checking
Messages from her ex. The hall de-colourized to black-and-white,
As the game of lights shifted the room’s coziness to semi-darkness.

I responded to you with conviction about the dictates of our faith,
The need to attempt at making life more liveable. Together.
You looked at me with a catatonic look of doubt, that filled
The ever unbelieving dark eyes on your pale white face.

“I wish I could just marry a rich poet”, - you sighed,
“But, truth is, like that girl from Dolce Vita, I wish
I could be both a wife and a whore”. “Yet my love for you” -
I said, - “would always stay the same”.

You wanted to respond yet the sharp lines of your face lit up,
Flashed by the neon light of your phone as you rushed to check
Incoming messages from an admirer. My phone buzzed too
With news about yet another sad affair in my part of the world.

We were distracted and I never asked:
"What did you want to say?”.

30/10/2022