Boys Do Cry

It was long ago
when he was a child
and hated text books

Every time pearl like tears
oozed out of his eyes
an uncle an aunt or maybe the
rickshaw man who took him to school
would say
"BOYS DON'T CRY "

It took him some time
to know what it was
to be a BOY
and then
to be a MAN
and he knew
it was not right to
have eyes full of tears
with uncles
and aunts
and
yes
friends around him

But I have seen him cry ..

I have seen his eyes glisten
under the darkness of night
or lonely walks through the
mad
love-less
urban shadows

Amidst the lonely
Festival crowds


in love
and out of it

Someday, I wonder
all his angst will form a
large rain cloud
and a deluge will
drench everyone - everything

I'll hear him silently
scream
YES I am a man
and I do Cry