The bridge across time

Dusk, shadows, breeze…
The turbulence in the trees
On the banks.
I stand in the middle of
The bridge across time
At a lonely winter dusk.

Did I see a flicker of light
On the left bank?
It must have been
The lamp at dawn
Lit in front of the house
Where I lived so long ago.

Every dusk would be heralded
By the flight of the birds
To their nest,
Flying over the vast field
Where we used to play;
That was ages ago.

When time was still,
When imagination flew
On the wings
Of the butterflies
I used to chase
All day long.

When life’s innocent song
Bounced around on our lips,
When the carefree song
Of childhood
Filled our hearts
Night and day.

I look harder to my left;
I see her-my nanny
Guiding me through the dark
When we roamed the streets
On pleasant Sunday evenings.

I see the glow-flies
Filling up the air
And the bright stars
Filling up the sky
On those dark nights
When we used to wander.

I can see myself
Perched on my father’s shoulders,
Returning from a show,
Late at night;
Secure, cocooned, safe
And fast asleep.

And I can see
The bridge across time
That stretches across the river
Of life;
Connecting yesterday
To today.

I look to the right bank
And I see
Mornings that show sunlight
With wisps of grey;
Something amiss
Among the brightness.

Dusks heralded
By the screech of horns
On busy city streets.
Can someone tell me
In which direction
The birds have flown?

Bright lights, big city
And a soul searching for directions
Searching for the centre;
Searching for a piece
Of yesterday
Once again.

Further to the right
I see a grey, desolate stretch
That I know I must walk alone;
The Bard had said
“ All life’s a stage
And we are merely the actors”

I stand still
On the bridge across time
Connecting yesterday
With tomorrow
And dream of happiness
Once again.