Poems by
Siddhika Bondre

An Ode to Loneliness

a poem by Siddhika Bondre

I am the uncertain cloud in the sky,
The one which isn’t blue or gray,
The one which you curse when you do a rain check,
You don’t know if I’m going to stay,
If I’m going to burst,
Or if I’m just roaming my usual solitary way.

I am the first rock you spot on the beach,
The one jutting farthest out.
I don’t blend in with the sand,
I look expectantly to the sea,
But the waves they strike me and recoil
The jagged exterior having stung them too.

I am the teardrop which lingers longest on your cheek
The one which reached your lips
The one you tasted and remembered
All that you’d tried so hard to forget,
The one that angered you more
And prompted you to brush the rest away.

I am the child who got burnt by the fire,
The one who dreads it now,
The face you passed yesterday,
The unforgettable one you said,
The one that you wouldn’t recognise in a crowd today,
Let alone give a friendly smile.

I am the last ship on the horizon,
The one you barely see.
Fading fast into oblivion,
Not wanting to be seen any longer.

My constant friend you do loathe,
But beggars choosers can’t be,
And I being the poorest of all,
Have him thrust upon me.
But there’s never been a friend so true
This, sweet loneliness is to you.