Like a breath of fresh air, the old college campus; twenty years after those farewells, tears Not a word since then from those who said farewell, all flung to far-away corners, sadly, even departed souls
He does it that old way, steps off the bus at the imposing gate, takes the meandering path through the trees The path lies desolate, covered with fallen leaves and red Ashoka flowers: it's the fortnight-long Christmas-New Year break The winding path leads on the playing fields, beyond which lie the residences, brick-red, hidden by the foliage Now then a lone deer breaks free from the bushes, strayed in, perhaps, from the bordering deer park
The playing arenas, once the lifelines of the college, now lie bereft of gaiety and laughter, I have heard, have hardly believed Perhaps it is but the irresistible sweep of globalization, every minute counts for careers, no time for fun and play But now his heart stands still, is the pulse beat stopping, is that a vision from the past? Around a bend in the path, stepping lightly, a familiar bag slung across the shoulder,comes his old friend, his best friend Slim, of nondescript height, a shock of black hair, to the obvious weekend destination, the parental home along that narrow path, bathed in golden rays streaming through the swaying green canopy, has he walked into the past? ((((As dusk falls and shadows lengthen on the desolate path, has he walked right into the past?))))}}} Or, is it a son in a mirror image? hardly likely just twenty years after - besides, sons are not twin-images He stays rooted to the spot, no sense in challenging time and space, basking in the brief stillness of time
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Now that you wrote "darkening", I have changed a verse so that there is no confusion about mistaken identities in the shadows!
For my own part, i am leaving the alternate versions of one of the verses as they are.....!