Cantonment brags of many a raving war

Not those battled out, to be lost or won

But trysts of hearts, cupid’s darts galore

Alas, cherished one, of the orderly’s son

Colonel’s girl, Pearl, was the moon that shone

With a million candles’ sheen, to shy the sun

Afar doubt, “an adored angel”, written in stone

Coyly craved, deified, by lad on the run, orderly’s son

Orderly, so pious, to his lord, Colonel Brown

Slighted day-to-day, yet his fawning, second to none

Running errands, with son, Ben, through the town

Two sorry souls, lost forever, their fates underdone

How spring had strewn, blushes of passion in air

Ben had a heart, but no nerve, to tell, “I am done!

With this ache, unbearable to make, myself bear

Would love hold well, for a colonel’s girl and an orderly’s son?”

Pearl had a penchant for fantastic pipedreams

Men meant to her stunning princes, best ones for liaison

Which values lie beyond a face, what true love redeems

Unwary, her little world of wonder spun, afar reach of orderly’s son

Afore Valentine’s Day, his charms, took her breath away

Adonis was he, she his Aphrodite, two souls wed in heaven

“Which loves are meant to last, my Lord? What worth this melee?

Her smile not mine, her heart not won, how broke today, orderly’s son”

His only chum, the magpie, on the lone cherry tree

Cried” What solaces you, my Dear! I’ll coo that air, listen

There ain’t any agony, my God-blessed spirit can’t free”

It cooed whole night, till her heart bled, for the orderly’s son

“Valentine’s Day, a blood-bathed heart, a soul ablaze, a funeral of love

Alas, a fine fiesta, befits my end”. With a swift slash, his heart undone

“Why your color is blood, O’ Love, of only souls worth the heavens above?”

Moaned magpie, as she swore her last bead of blood, to the orderly’s son

© 2015 Vikas Chandra