i tucked my t-shirt
inside levi's jeans
and stood like that model
in cosmopolitan magazine
i had butterflies in my stomach
mouth longed for a kiss
a five-feet-one-inch girl
in shoe-size six
you stopped near the curb
clean-shaved in an off-white shirt
a plain 19-year-old boy
but for me my entire world
i sat by your side
heart raced like the formula-1 car
in maruti 800 at 45 kilometers per hour
i swear i felt like a star
it was our first long drive
up, close and intimate it was
who would've thought of such chemistry
between two students from economics class
the narrow roads leading to barog
the clouds hovering so low
somehow set the body temperature high
with george michael playing on car stereo
you stopped the car
where there was no one
it ended with seething passion
and many buttons undone
we drove back
reached home an hour past sundown
two teenagers with vagabond feelings
in their own hometown
love does that to us
ordinary things gain a brand new meaning
maruti 800, george michael song, levi's jeans
an unending desire to drive uphill every evening
strange how all that evaporated
the day we parted ways
i don't know which car you drive now
i barely recall your face
i've grown out of many things
i don't scratch those scars
but as a girl who loved a boy once
maruti 800 is still my favorite car
*ode to the first middle-class car of india
Levis jeans, cosmo mag, passion and not recognizing which car he drives. Love ruffles our feathers! Sheer passion, adventure and thrill, your language knows no limit in exploring the soul. Sensational Saru:)
ReplyDeleteSlices of life from an era gone by. I used to drive my dad's Maruti 800 to work and felt like a Queen doing so. ;-)
ReplyDeleteOne question: Why no capitals used?
Maruti 800 means so much to India!
ReplyDeleteA refreshing take, Saru :)
You've captured teen love so beautifully!
ReplyDeleteSabko hi apni teen age ki yaad aa gai hogi ๐๐ bahut romantic - soft likha hai ๐๐
ReplyDeleteThis is so sweet..takes me back to the 90s :-)
ReplyDeleteYoung love and all the passion and excitement it comes me. Maruti 800 was our first family car too... That excitement of going on long drives at 45 kmph... Ajkal k bache kiya jaane. Such a beautiful poem. Loved it.
ReplyDeletebeautiful poem …เคฆिเคฒ เคฎे เคเคคเคฐ เคเคฏे เคญाเคต्।
ReplyDelete