Rip My Mute Friends Poem by Sumit Ganguly

I remember ‘Bimbee', my childhood friend,
both were seven when we met.
She - my playmate and a nanny,
treated my excesses as her puppy's wrongs.
At thirteen, outdoor lured me for all fun,
she, a decrepit soul, loved rest and sleep.
As age took her to dog-heaven, I cried and cried,
tears have dried up but stain lingers on.

After years, my dad had brought a parakeet in golden cage.
He had green body, red beak, pomegranate eyes.
For two years he repaid love, mimicked our tongue,
one day utilized the gap of open gate,
could not fly long, predators had a day.
Empty cage carries untold pain.

My children had an albino rabbit,
a cute love doll with ruby eyes.
They replayed all my childhood moves
the bunny seemed to be unaffected.
They took him daily to play in the open
he seemed to enjoy the limited freedom.
One day it was lost in the woods,
the vacant hutch still holds the image.

We tamed a street dog, called him ‘Blacky',
he had limited wants, plenty of gratitude.
He used to guard the house at night
and slept when we were up.
One night there was howling and rush,
we came out, found him fighting a snake,
he looked at us- the snake got an opportunity,
I remember his doleful eyes.

We have shifted to a new house,
and are free from all the clutter.

































































10.12.16