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The Lone Pigeon and I
She lingered a moment there, beaming lovingly at me,
And we must have looked almost lovers,
A gleam of love, I’m sure, I caught in her eyes,
Which, as it were, inspired many a romantic verse.
A huge old temple tree, abloom, stood over us,
With a bark like a monitor’s back;
Surmises and thoughts and my feelings were all diffuse,
Like scattered cards of a pack.
Scouring the lawn for grains, there were two white pigeons,
A couple of glad-hearted lovers;
I remembered how we, like them, ourselves had enjoyed
Chatting with each other for hours.
She tarried there no longer than a few seconds,
But I deemed it was an age;
Then she rose, bade me adieu and slowly glided off
Like an actress exiting the stage.
Away flew one pigeon as she walked off,
Leaving the other pigeon alone;
I wonder if it felt the same pangs of parting as I,
With its better half gone.
Words: Jayashantha Jayawardhana
