A Love Proposal

He winked and feebly waved

from behind the glass panes

the avalanche the soldier had just escaped

‘go home’, mumbled his blue lips.

 

I didn’t leave him

my love was the warmth

the frost bitten soldier needed

treacherous icy peaks his fogged brain still treaded

 

I held his hands and back he bounced

from the throes of death, merry as ever

with a twinkle in the eye, he proposed

‘Will you be mine forever?’

 

He watches now, helpless,

from behind the glass panes

teary eyed, yet blows a French kiss

‘Happy 25, my pretty mistress’.

 

‘I won’t let you go’ he mumbles

as my body burns and creaks

for every breath, gasp my lungs

deadly is the evil Corona virus

 

It’s heartbreaking

to watch him break down

the brave soldier-my eternal optimist-cowering

as the virus threatens to take me down.

 

I long to tousle his salt and pepper hair

to smooth out the frowns on his forehead.

Alas! A reassuring touch I can’t dare

lest I infect him I am afraid.

 

We extend and clasp our hands

through the sanitized hospital air

across the glass shield we promise

vanquish the virus we will, together.

 

That has passed, this shall too.