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Mother, writer and daydreamer. Also chocoholic and chick-flick lover. But mainly mommy. To two boys, at that! When not escorting my Elder One (EO) to karate class, I'm trying to get in as many cuddles as possible from my Younger One (YO). And when not doing either, I'm hard-at-work trying to maintain a steady relationship with my laptop. And as for the Man I Married (MIM), well, let’s just put it this way – even though we share a bedroom, our most meaningful conversations are held over the cell-phone!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Bubblegum Days

You were part of my
bubblegum days.

I watched
and worshipped
from afar
as you played your guitar.
Tomcat,
street smart,
bitches all around.

“Stay away from him,”
the elders would wag fingers
and tongues.
But I’d watch
and worship
from afar.
I so wanted
to be your bad girl.

That summer,
blowing bubbles
on my gum,
I grew boobs
just for you.
I secretly read
the Kamasutra,
bought red lipstick
and practiced kissing
on my hand.
I so wanted
to be your girl,
your bad girl.
But instead,
I’d watch
and worship
from afar.

You’ll never know
how much I educated myself
just for you.
Hendrix, Jethro, Floyd
and Marley,
I grew to love,
because of you.
I chewed gum,
bunked Rabindrasangeet classes
and learnt the guitar instead.
I secretly read
the Kamasutra,
bought red lipstick
and practiced kissing
on my hand.

At night,
my head upon my pillow,
my hand upon a breast,
I’d hear you playing
between my eyes
and so I’d dance
on your guitar strings.

I bought red lipstick
and practiced kissing
on my hand.

Chewing bubblegum
all the while,
I watched
and secretly worshipped
from afar.

Even today,
whenever I smell
strawberry, cherry
or juicy fruit,
my lips hanker for a kiss.
I hear those chords
upon my heartstrings
and I think about
when I bought my first
and only red lipstick,
when I watched
and worshipped you
from afar.

My bubblegum days.
My ‘You’ days.
When I watched
and worshipped
from afar.

3 comments:

anita said...

Hi,
Absolutely loved this piece!
My fav lines: "You were....days"
"I so....bad girl"
"I grew boobs....on my hand". Beautiful.
I loved the repetitive lines, which gave it a sing-song quality and made the memory of the guitar more lyrical.
Just a couple of suggestion: I thought this line was cliched "elders would wag fingers and tongues"
"Blowing bubbles on my gum"..(shouldn't it be 'blowing bubbles with my gum'? )
Thanks for sharing

Preeti Sharma said...

B,
I read this several times. Loved it, so many lines rang true for me too, as they would for so many starry eyed girls who cannot but help fall for the bad boy. It's a lovely poem.
Pe

Mamma mia! Me a mamma? said...

Dear Anita & Preeti,

I don't know if we 'writers' (part-time, creative, professional, free-lance or those who write purely for self-expression) are allowed to have favourites. But for some strange reason this is one of mine. It sprang fully formed from the depths of me.
Thank you for understanding and appreciating!