Tooth-Ache

That day, I was hardly able to breathe,
When I had that ache in my last two teeth.

As I opened my mouth,
The words weren’t coming out.

I, truly, was in great pain.
More importantly I had to catch the evening train.

I had to go for an interview, I had applied for a job.
As I wasn’t interested in reaping my father’s crop.

The pain was rising in my teeth,
I regretted having that extra sweet.

She warned me not to have it,
But, I couldn’t change my habit.

I went to the doctor, and told him my grief.
The story was long, I told him in brief.

He gave me a pill and told me to go.
It was still paining, thus I said no.

He said, “It will be alright”, and called the next patient.
But, I was still a bit impatient.

I looked at the watch, it was three o’clock.
I knew I required a quicker walk.

The train was at seven, I had to leave by six.
So, quickly I had to make my bag fix.

I was getting late, so I avoided lunch.
Just decided to have a mouthful munch.

I couldn’t afford a sweet now,
‘Cos I knew from where the ache came and how.

I reached the station in time,
About to leave, was the train of mine.

I entered the train, and took my seat.
And with me sat, the pain in my teeth.

Doc said that the pain would be gone, but it was still there.
I even felt it was a bit more than it was earlier.

The dusk was over, and the moon did rise.
And with it rose, the ache of mine.

I knew I couldn’t sleep with that ache in my teeth.
“Shut the lights please”, said the man on the opposite seat.

It was dark, dark as the best quality of coal,
I knew not what to do, with the night left almost whole.

I had had some sort of a dinner,
Which was followed by a much needed pain-killer.

The pain-killer didn’t do any magic,
The situation to me, seemed the most tragic.

I lied down at last, and suddenly my mind was filled with cricket.
Never in the world of mine, had I taken so many a wicket.

I think it took me hours to sleep, but I did sleep at last,
And when I woke the next morning, the ache was already a past.

I was merry, and said, “Why shouldn't I be?”
But, as I rose, I dunno how, the pain was back with me!

A poem by – Nisheeth Agarwal