Signing off

You were waving at me

arm straight
right palm moving
a standing tree
leaves shading my agony
appeared like a thousand welcome
tuning at the shore of my heart,

but you were parting
singing a song, humming a bye
telling me that the same hand
will sign me off
scrap the rented tie
hired for some time.

We wrote stories
our dreams
with your gifted pen
we met on the same streets
same town
same honks travelled
rode
sounded like belly laugh
now
the beeps
howling,

but I don’t see the same storm
on the other side of the road
where you stand
when you laughed
thousand poems were born
I see the same yellow glow
on your face
written everywhere
from the college gate
to the cemetery
our meeting place.

Wait.
Before you,
let me go.
Yes.
I promise.
I will come back.
Sign us off.
At the court,
before the black and white
men, women,
with a borrowed pen.