Being Helen

Come! Let's try this thing called love. 

We sort of heard 'Bas Ek Sanam Chaahiye',
And fell into marriage.
Everyone thought it was 'Aashiqui Ke Liye', 
Just that we didn't. Not really.

Kids happened like seasonal colds.
We took care of coughs, measles and PTA.

Your lust took you to conferences
(With the secretary)
And mine to tennis courts and the gardener.

We promised each other Laila-Majnu
But ended up shimmy shaking
In other people's arms.
You became Prem Chopra, I Helen.

Now the kids are gone,
And we don't have to pretend any more.
You still drink the godawful coffee,
And I take refuge in tea. 

You are shriveled in odd places,
I'm wrinkled in weird ones, 
Your knee tells you when the rains will come,
My asthma has turned weather forecaster too.

The only thing we both still love are sunsets.
So let us start from there, we'll watch sunsets.
With you on the upright sofa
Me on the planter's chair.

You'll drink the black brew, lots of sugar,
I will sip the amber, perhaps with a spot of milk
And maybe then we could put a new spin
On this thing called love.