in

The Love I Never Had: A Poem by Nibedita Rajguru

My hands slipped,
As I held the rein, that skidded
Swifter than I had ever imagined,
My feet fumbled to keep pace,
With the rolling years.

But then, one day,
Like a faint ray,
Hope gleamed yet again,
Was it here to stay?
Or fade away,
Like a mirage that shines far,
In the distressed arid desert, afar.

I fear,
To dive into the sweet nectar,
Of love, yet again.

I despise,
For love is sugar-coated poison,
It had duped me earlier, teaching me a vital lesson,
Not to blindly trust, and reckon,
Guard my footsteps and reason.

I long,
To be earnestly loved,
For what I received?
Was a betrayal of trust,
Like a loop of rope,
It twisted around my neck,
Severing my breath, slowly,
Until, my frail body,
Gave in.

I remain as a memory,
Wandering as a shadow in the alley,
Seeking, hunting, probing,
The love I never had.