I wandered lonely through a forest
Ignorant that I had been cursed
Aching from a lengthy hunting
Gripped by an intense thirst

There I chanced upon a pool
With water so blue and clear
Rushed I fast with my sore feet
Lest it may disappear

I bent to take the liquid but
My eyes fell upon a being
A soul so uniquely handsome
The first time I was seeing

From the other side of the water
That beauty kept on staring
And I stared back likewise with
An affection we were sharing

My ache and hunger vanished
Captivated by that face
I lost track of time and self
Surrounded by its grace

I moved closer to that gem
I smiled and it smiled back
My heart skipped a-many beats
I loved and it loved back

I stretched my hand for I could
No longer stand being apart
Yet all I felt were ripples
Discharged by a broken heart

My soul crushed my heart sank
We sat there downcast
My first feelings of affection
Would also be my last

We stayed and we yearned
So close and yet so far
I promised to never leave
Till the sky is full of stars

‘Tis there that I made my home
Longing with all love’s power
Just the sight and an echo
Endowed this golden flower

Bring me all the sparkling diamonds
Shining in the sky
Bring me the most renowned paintings
From wherever they may lie
Bring me life’s fake happiness
That money claims to buy
Show me all the regal mansions
Open up the doors
Without love I must admit
This heart is feeling poor

Bring me watches, shoes and clothes
Bring me fancy cars
Surround me with techs and gadgets
Exorbitant cigars
Bring me a quiet peaceful island
Legendary guitars
Let each day be pleasure-filled
On a king’s bed I snore
Without love I must admit
This heart is feeling poor

Bring me all the glittering gold
Ship-wrecked in the seas
Bring me all the yen and pounds
Bring me all the currencies
Bring me the finest champagne and
Exotic wine too please
Whatever this world has to give
Give me that and more
Without love I must admit
I am feeling poor

I read that every second 1.8 humans die
Turning to the plain clock hanging on a plain wall
I watched the seconds tick
With every tick I imagined a person dying
Somewhere, anywhere, someone, anyone
Tick 1 – someone dies in Asia
Tick 2 – someone dies in Africa
Tick 3 – someone dies in America
Tick 4 – someone dies in Europe
Tick 5 – someone dies close to me
5 seconds down, 5 humans down (at the very least)

And we are only talking about humans
Let us not get started on other life-forms
With every passing second we lose a human
A unique being like the one that never was and never will be
I always knew that death is commonplace
Yet this thought never bothered me before
60 seconds down, 100 humans down

Yet I am not affected by it
I look around and nobody seems to be mourning either
We are aware and yet oblivious
I am only affected by the death of those who are close to me
The ones I love and the ones I care about
Others seem to be following the same rule
They are only affected by the loss of their dear ones

That’s a weird rule
If people only mourn the death of their loved ones then the fewer people you love the less you will grieve
The corollary should be: People are hurt only by their loved ones
But that is not true
Those who we not love can wound our hearts too
So the logical corollary seems to be: We are hurt more by those who we love than by those we don’t
That sounds true to me
Does it hold good for you too?
I am more hurt by a lie I hear from a loved one than a lie I hear from someone else

So what’s the lesson in this? What’s the point of this? What do we learn from this?
It’s simple
Love is going to hurt
Love is going to make you cry
Through the actions of a loved one or because of their loss
Love will shatter you
Love is addictive and all addictions are harmful
It’s the drug that offers momentary pleasure
For a lasting scathe
Avoid it
Cut it out
Love nobody

Well I said to my heart —
Is this what you do?
When you suffer and ache
I too suffer with you

No excuses this time
Be as cold as a stone
When you light up that fire
You’re never burning alone

Keep your doors all closed
And your windows too
When you breathe in that air
I too suffer with you

Go find a distraction
How hard could it be?
The repercussions
You always share with me

Why don’t you understand
What isn’t good for you?
For a passing feeling
I too suffer with you

See the other side someday
It isn’t that bad
It isn’t that hideous
It isn’t that sad

So I said to my heart —
Is this what you do?
When you suffer and pain
I too suffer with you

When you pack your bags to leave
Pack my heart too Eve
For it is no good with me
If you fail to find it worthwhile
Then cast it with a smile
In the nearest bin you see

Life could not be for love
If it was I would have found it
Life could not be for love
If it is I have missed it

I want to live
Happily and merrily
Jubilantly and gleefully
Mirthfully and blithely

I want to love
Freely and crazily
Extraordinarily and unconditionally
Wildly and innocently

But that is not possible with you
Clearly and apparently
Currently and actually
Significantly and persistently

So I want to leave
Sadly and unfortunately
Necessarily and permanently
Essentially and importantly

Do different hearts ache differently?
My heart aches! Oh boy it aches!
Like a poke of a hundred pins
Like a skin pierced by a lion’s claw
Like a stab from a sharp dagger
It aches! Yes it aches in many ways!
Like landing on your head from a fall
Like dislocating your knee
Like being crushed by a heavy stone
Yes it aches like that
Does your heart ache like mine?
Does it even ache?
Does it ache all the time?
How does your heart ache?

Life was charming, full of ease
Until my heart gave a lease
Made room for another human being
Though my mind was disagreeing
That person stayed but for a while
I lost my ability to smile
My young heart knows but one cure
To bring a new love through the door

This is a game of chess
You’re my queen so highly priced
But to save myself, my love
You will be sacrificed