A shared book
some corners folded
marked as if to say
“Look what I found!
What I’ve been meaning to say”
Now those folds on paper
like ghosts still dancing on the covers
She is gone, I had forgotten
the folds had remained
And years later
when I was chosen by the book
I touched the folds knowing
they were last touched by her hands before me
A book is a message from across eons
a shared book is a layer deeper
speaking unsaid words between us
telling me what I could not understand then
I turn over the last pages
no folded corners there
Somewhere in the middle or towards the end
the folds shall stop
I won’t know what will be the last page
where I’ll find her last thought
Patiently folded waiting for me
I won’t know when I will pass it by
I won’t know when I will say goodbye
once more, one last time
I won’t know how many times
I’ll have to say the last goodbye again
It must be said
Banjaran hated tarnishing words with folds
But that book she chose to crinkle
to say her unsaid words to me
The book takes me through many stories
reminds me of others I’ve spent with beautiful people
I don’t know if the dancing ghosts delight or fright me
I just know that they are there
At some point my hand goes to the corner of the page
as if knowing it’ll find her touch there
as if knowing that she was here once, and was touched
as my fingers look to touch her again
I look astonished, to find a fold there
waiting for me, as expected
As if reprimanding me from years ago
“I’ve been here, all this time”
And alas! she is found
again waiting for me on that page
And across the years we find each other again
Among folded corners, and unspoken words
Vishal Gupta
