Ordinary Love

We stood leaning against
The well known railings-
As the blue rings of Marlboro,
Settled in as blue wreaths
Against the night sky.
Relaxing and rewinding with every puff,
Bro and I conjectured as we confided,
To our paralyzing fears that the 'new' year could portend.
There indeed was nothing happy about the impending
Year of Doom.
It was mostly a carry forward,
Of most horrors left incomplete in the erstwhile.
Responsibilities and Liabilities
Stood, stacked against us,
Like Siamese twins-
Some known ,
Most unknown -
And lost in confusions.
We discussed as we discerned,
The erring areas,
The pain points
The changes
And the escape routes.
Bound by blood,
Only bro could fully comprehend,
The state of mind at present.
Seeing our home again,
Through his eyes,
I could well feel his apprehensions.
The more of the white strands we see,
The more we feel that the picture perfect reality
Is just another charade,
With the facade cracked and fault lines appear.
As the clock raced towards midnight,
For the first time,
Ever-
We both trespassed unsurety
As the uncertainty of life loomed large.
Trusting none,
Yet listening to the words all have to offer,
It's a rueful grin, we shared in private,
Reading each others' minds-
And judging the action points right.
We needn't show ourselves to the world-
We're past the age of caring.
The circle is small and tighter-
Only that time itself,
Is outracing our intentions.
Love and it's lights look faded and jaded-
Insouciance grips us as we see the outer world-
With all it's external elements.
We have nothing more of us to give!
We have us and Avik!
And us three,
Have the three sets plus four young ones to care about-
As Judgement Day comes calling-
We seek support from our holds on another.
The others' hearts remain on each others' sleeves-
Which we protect with borders drawn in magic markers.
Yet within us,
There are changes too-
Maybe it's a phase-
Maybe it's lifelong - irreversible.
But hopefully,
We have our backs,
As we shun habits
Of reaching out for-
Ordinary Love.