When you visited my city after we ended,

I made frantic trips to our Essel World, listened

to the screams of kids on Shot-N-Drop where

you grabbed my arm tight, in lieu of iron-casted

handles. I tapped at shoulders of women with your hair,

hugged the 100 year old Banyan at Horniman Circle

and felt your warmth. I wonder if you could hear my

heartbeat through its bark. I called the hotel where

I gave you the ring & went to Prithvi Theatre. I even 

called all our mutual friends after you’d left. No one

knew you were here. I hurt you but my grandma did

not. Why did you break your promise to her? Unlike

me, she can’t even go bazaars to study other couples

when she misses you. But she dearly touches the 

carved stone elephant, I told her, was from you. Every

night I miss the last bus home in my dreams. Infidelity

cost me everything. Even this city
is no longer mine.

( Theme: Response, Form: Free Verse
A response to Aditi Rao’s “When I visited his city after we ended,”)