When the within met the within

a poem by Anupam Sen Gupta

Beyond the barriers of time
we met as strangers
while a mother fed her atom child
and the father took a walk,
while lovers held hands
and shared wafer thin warmth,
while the little child and the cat
exchanged looks
as if they had met before
the vibration was intoxicating.
I was in a trance
but the sun disappeared beyond the horizon
and came back the barriers of time
to prove that we are only human.
External thoughts came in.
She looked disturbed.
I wanted to hold her back.
I had no reason to,
we parted ways
as friends
to meet again
for the within to meet the within
without the without.