Ever After Poem by Ayon Banerjee

“Ever After” – AB (01.07.2013)
=====================
“And then they lived..
Happily ever after”.

I sometimes yearn to read,
a sequel to those fairy tales.
Of what stayed forever,
and what came in after?

For, after that horse ride
into the glorious sunset,
there comes the night.
Maybe he would snore,
and she might fret?
Maybe she’d get kinky,
which he would hate?

Maybe the morning next,
much to her annoyance
he might smoke in bed,
or whistle while he shaves.
Maybe she would fix cereals
for a boring breakfast,
when he’d wish for bread?

Together they would start,
at 8 AM. Going opposite ways.
Like convicts in a dry desert.
Chained at ankles, lost for days?

Maybe he might miss calling
her, when he promised he’d do.
Maybe she’d sulk, and storm
for some all- girl evenings,
in a week or month or two?

Maybe he’d join that soccer club
or re-join, his boy gang in woe.
And head for a heady strip show.
Maybe she might guess that.
But would be too busy to ask,
or maybe too proud to snow?

Maybe they would fight,
on sides of the bed to sleep.
Or on the reading light.
and who gets it to keep.

Maybe she might want a kid,
a little part of “them” to play.
Maybe she’d get pushy on that
and turn him off for the day?

Maybe one day they’d wake,
like strangers in a rhyme.
Inventing their own sob line,
and spicing it with time.
Till one of them finally says,
“ F*ck you, I’m done! ”
And even before they know,
it’s a funeral day for fun.

‘Ever after’ is a myth of minds,
like an avalanche of clichés.
Which misses bends, and the grinds.
‘Ever after’ is surely not
some Christmas gift of wishes.

‘Ever after’ is the hatching
of two misplaced eggs,
inside a common nest.
‘Ever after’ is not about
asking some or getting none.
But yourself being the best.
‘Ever after’ is hearing whispers
and the music of the trees-
On a muggy Monday morning
even when there’s no breeze.
‘Ever after’ is an affirmation,
a ‘taking off’ of your hood.
‘Ever after’ is saying sorry
when you never thought you could.