Childhood Lane Poem by Pradip Chattopadhyay

Forty five years it took me to get back to that lane
The street name is changed grown olden men
The girls I flirted moved out to unknown
The ones not born are now ones full grown!

I try to find one window neath a roof of tin shed
Where sat that lovely girl black curls on her head
I wondered why she needed long hours of read
And not glanced once at me cared for my need!

I look for that patch of space where we used to play
Heartbroken returned to studies at end of day
And the girl who nightly returned to haunt me in my dream
But never ever would love me take me in her team!

I search for the red bricked house with green painted door
Beyond which lay all mystery all forbidden was in store
And that cot under which the two of us used to hide
In its darkness took the two minds unfathomed pleasure’s ride!

Not any of them I can find out all have sunk without a trace
Even the house where I stayed the child’s first address
And the girl upstairs don’t know how it crossed her head
She would say when she grows up only me she would wed!