A Little Too Much

Once I met this distant

Relative on a bus.

It was the casual awkward avoidance

Accompanied by the 'No way

Not to notice' thing.

"Hey, I heard you were in the town."

I noded in affirmation with

The best smile I could bring up.

"I heard you are only a visitor here now.

I heard you moved out in June.

Selfish people could care less

About one's whereabouts,

But how do you manage?"

As questions were rhetoric,

I was the listener.

"I heard you had meningitis last month.

Good that you have recovered.

I had heard from a friend

Of mine that his friend

Once had meningitis.

Poor lad thought it was

All better, only to find

Himself dead one morning.

I heard you got a promotion too.

You know, good news travels fast.

I heard you are going

Sydney next month.

Isn't it cold in there now?"

I had to get down at the next stop,

Without a word of courtesy

Would be unfair I thought.

"Oh dear! Don't you think

You hear a little too much."

Original Grief

Obliged to this night ride

Pouring out my agony

Aren't we the stardusts?

Who gave us emotions?

Why are these tiny atoms

Alive and feeling the whole lot

They could never afford?

Aren't we the stardusts?

All that wrap around me,

Mock at my mediocre matters.

The concealed face emoji tells

Almost the default state for long.

The nature, culture and future

Conspire against my wills.

The wind whistles to my wheezing,

The sun shuts down my eyes,

The rain might have been nice

But doesn't bother to approach

Unless I wear my white shoes.

Yet I pamper my brief case.

It isn't unprecedented,

Nor unanticipated.

But genuinely original grief

In my own manifestations.

Never have I ever thought

I would ever be alone in this ride.