Vita

v i n c a

I look around
And see everywhere
Periwinkles growing here and there
Between wild grasses
Or through cracks of buildings
As if they are never going to be
Extinct any day.

One day,
I go up to my old, battered terrace
And notice a life form
Growing through the cracks of hiatus
I smile and move towards it
Amd notice its beautiful features.
As I observe the periwinkle,
She notices me and asks,

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

I tell her,

"Nothing. Just wondering how
You all can manage
To grow through thick and thin
All the time."

"It's nothing, you know;
Nothingness is how the Universe
Gives us something."

I look at her with awe and continue

"You know, long ago,
I read a story
About two grandparents.
When the grandfather was still alive
He gave a periwinkle everyday
To his beloved- the grandmother.
To his belief: as they grew anywhere and anytime,
They were like forever to him, you know!"

But she says,

"But I heard diamonds are forever."
"But to me and that grandfather,
You are forever."

She does not reply me;
Instead stares at the Sun.
I too find myself gazing at the Sun,
When suddenly, she asks,

"Do you know why I need
Sunshine and water?"

I shook my head and she replied,

"Because they are my best friends.
They may not be with me always,
But when they are,
They support me till I breathe again."

I disapprovingly say,

"That's such a stupid answer;
We all know you need those
Because of your metabolism,
Duh, It's all science, you know!"

"Maybe for you, but for me,
They are the missing pieces of my life."

We sat there in silence,
Both watching the Sun set,
She breaks the silence and says,

"You know, it's time to bind up
So goodnight, till we meet again
Before I lose myself in my own world again."

I wonder and ask her,

"But why do you want to
Meet me again?
I am such a pessimist
Whereas you;
A bloom of hope
To this neverland world."

The answer she gave astounded me.

"Because you know
Darkness always makes things
Shine Brighter.
You too have some darkness;
Only to light up others instead."

And with that, with a strong sway
Of the gusty wind,
She gets detached
And slowly, as if the time freezing
She falls on the ground.
I picked her up and noticed
Slowly all her life going away
Till it reaches to the Death.
With a heavy heart, I bind
Myself up and name her Vinca
Then I smile at myself
And at her again
While I place her
Between the pages of my notebook,
Hoping that one day,
We would meet again
When we would be
Lost in our own worlds again.

-Ignis🥀

Photo from google