Poetry 2016 Longlist, Nivedita N

One Summer Evening

I stand at the gate of Nihar's home;
sitting on the steps of the threshold,
he aimlessly throws mango leaves
towards south.
I stare at him.
His eyes ask me:
why did I not
tell him,
when a pointed heal punctures
a heart, it causes indigestion, insomnia,
heart burn, amnesia. 
His pale face -
a report card of our
companionship.
I stand at the gate, helpless.
While he still throws the
mango leaves.