That night…

a poem by Madhura Dabholkar

I sit and watch him as he suffers the pain
he lay on the bed with needles in his vein.

Helpless I feel I can do none
Time we spent was so much fun.

Though we knew where to set our limits
We didn’t think or controlled our feet.

We went there to the place not good
Where lust existed and words so rude.

A lady big seemed like the head there
Told us to select any girl dark or fair.

The option was ours, we select or not
Either to move out from there or get caught.

We chose to stay and satisfy ourselves
A mistake we were doing ignoring the consequence.

Night we spent in separate rooms
For that night we were the grooms.

Morning arrived we came back home
We forgot that night with the girls alone.

Time passed my friend looked sick
The mistake we did, played the trick.

The medical reports proved him AIDS
Each day I saw my friend deteriorate.

Nothing could be done to save his life
I saw my friend as for life he strived.

A lesson I learnt but soon lost a friend
I regret for that night at the brothel we spent.