Rusted Love: Day Twenty-nine of NaPoWriMo2023

In the corner of my room,

At the back of my mind,

Stood you;

My first love.

My discount, second-hand bicycle.

With a basket and stickers

I made you my own,

The only thing in life

That I ever could.

Unfairly abandoned

As you changed colours

Rusted, neglected, unappreciated

Until now.

In this loud and overwhelming city

My first taste of freedom

The start of my steely self-reliance

Those fleeting moments of serenity

They all came from you.

As I cycle down memory lane,

Wind irreversibly tangling my hair,

I recall all of my firsts

That you led me to.

Those shops

I bought snacks in

With my very own ‘paycheck’

When, for the first time

I felt the power of independence.

That street

I found the kitten in

Apprehensive and hostile

When, for the first time

I understood the significance of being patient.

The Improv class

I routinely embarrassed myself in

And yet, never felt ashamed

When, for the first time

I learned that kids my age could like me too.

The park

I found solace in

The only place I could be alone

When, for the first time

I realized no one could comfort me better than myself.

As I pack up my things

And move to the next chapter

I have to do what I hate the most

I have to say goodbye.

The consequences of your existence

Have now become a part of who I am.

You did what you came into my life to do.

You did more.

Written by Harshita Khanna for MTTN

Edited by Aditi Atreya for MTTN