Ah! You Didn't Know?

In an evening of events,
He and I met together
In the City-Coffee House
And broke the silence of a millennium
Over a steaming-cup of coffee.

He spoke and I listened.
Slowly I discovered
The iron-gates of the castle-in-ruins
Opened up with a crackle before my eyes
And the rusty past shed its darkness
To a shining glory.

He identified the strange and precious gems
Stored in the womb of the ruins
And I, on my part, recognised them
In their antique glory.

Encouraged by his profound knowledge
And sense of beauty I thought;
I could at least show him
The mundane vapours
Flying from the hot cup of coffee.

He observed them,
And admonishing me for
My idiocy, said:

“You thought they’re ordinary vapours,
Nay, they are ephemeral curls of steam
Heading upwards
Like benign souls!”
And further added
“These curls of steam are cycles
Of birth and death,
You didn’t know”?

I said, “No, I didn’t know,
Now that you said,I know.”

R.K Das