I Said … No Poem by Asit Kumar Sanyal

When I was in college
I would like a girl very much
She knew it
One day she came on my opposite seat
In college canteen
And said directly
Do you love anyone other than me?
I said … no
It means green signal for me!
I said … no
What's the problem?
I said politely
Four problems in between
Your cast is different,
One day it will disconnect us
Your college politics is different
One day it will divide us
Your mentality is different
One day it will separate us
Your family status different
One day it will classify us
It will ruin us totally
Her smile evaporated within a minute
Face became sullen
She could not say anything
Went out slowly
I could not tell her
Please stop! I love you dear.

Recently I met her after forty years
In New Delhi Railway Station
Just like hero and heroine of a novel
She is now a beautiful grandmother
With black and white hair
We talked half an hour
At the end she smiled
And said boldly
Did you forget me after that day?
I said … no.