#bracelet
A story of two brothers
who drove a knife into a tree.
Silver meant life.
Rust meant death.
I never had a knife
but I did have a friendship bracelet.
A beautiful butterfly.
On the top, it looked pretty.
But no one saw how
its pretty silver color
was fading to a rusty copper.
As the silver shifted to rust,
I remembered the story.
My friendship was dying. I could see it.
And yet... it only turned rusty
on exactly half
of the butterfly.
Maybe I could save this.
So I tried to be a better friend.
It worked.
I can't believe it worked.
The rust faded back to silver.
There are still some traces of rust
but no friendship is perfect.
And I am okay with that.
Yet now,
beneath the silver,
I see grey.
Dark, unmoving grey.
Solid rock.
The story doesn't say what to do
about grey.
Mar 28
Mar 28, 2026 at 12:44 AM UTC
Sometimes, I'd think that I missed it.
All the late-night conversations,
good morning "I love you"s,
glances exchanged in the halls,
awkward smiles,
adorable nicknames,
that bracelet.
But I don't wear that bracelet anymore,
not since you starting doubting all we had.
When the good morning texts were just typed,
sitting there with the send button unpressed.
When we started avoiding each other in the halls
because we couldn't bear to see the other's face.
When those awkward smiles we'd exchange
turned into just plain awkward.
When the adorable nicknames went away.
When that bracelet just sat there,
on my dresser instead of my wrist.
Sometimes, I thought I missed the way we were.
But now I know, we're better off the way we are.
Jul 7, 2023
Jul 7, 2023 at 2:17 AM UTC
My mother didn't birth me, she said.
'I plucked you from a tree,
a Papaya tree', she says.
'It rained torrents that Chait* night,
a storm raged, tearing apart
all that came its way
our hut was blown, everything swept away
the tree shuddered, so did the fruits
I spent the night clinging to the scarred trunk
worried about our next meal,
a wild gale, then, bent the Papaya tree
I latched on to you while your siblings
fell apart. Bursting seedlings over my body.
With all my strength, I plucked you
the stem and branches bruised my hands and arms
streaks of blood trickled and covered your face
you had a tender, pale skin.
Can you feel the scar on your forehead ?
That's where my silver bracelet was lodged.
You weren't ripe, not yet.
Next morning, still trembling, I hid you
in the warmth of the last cloth on my body, thereon
you slept in my ***** till
the first rain of Baisakh**.
Your father, she said,
'had gone seeding the fields'.
She said, 'You are the fruit of my labour.'
Mar 12, 2020
Mar 12, 2020 at 7:00 AM UTC
I think about you
more than you
will ever know
I think about you
when I’m travelling
to cities
I know
you would've liked
I think about you
when no one
wants to support me
because you
were the only one
always
I think about you
when my mom
lights a cigarette
because
I don't want
to loose her
the same way
I lost you
I think about you
when I´m drinking coffee
with my granny
thinking about
how we used
to chat
for hours
we three
you somehow
understood me
even though
I wasn't saying much
I think about you
when I´m listening
to worship songs
because I prayed
for you
and your life
I think about you
when I´m looking at you bracelet
which is now
around my wrist
instead of yours
I think about you
and how
you will never know
that I will always think about you
and how I will never forget you
Aug 5, 2018
Aug 5, 2018 at 5:49 PM UTC
I gave you my heart
And in return you gave me nothing,
I opened all my windows and doors
But you kept all yours shut,
I tried so hard to make you laugh
But the most you could manage was a smile,
I bought you gifts
And you gave me a bracelet.
A token of the love you never show,
A reason for me to keep trying,
A way to feel the relief,
A bracelet.
No emotion,
No charisma.
But a bracelet.
A little, shiny, sterling silver bracelet.
No charms and no colour.
Just a bracelet.
Mar 17, 2017
Mar 17, 2017 at 7:04 PM UTC
and so I shatter.
my own absorber of maladies
remover of toxins; the internal kind
my Ambergis protection
my broken bracelet.
I'll collect the beads
but you will never be rebuilt.
so i don't really see the point
Jan 15, 2017
Jan 15, 2017 at 4:48 PM UTC
Help me for I don't,
I don't know what's going on.
Im still here,
waiting.
For what?
I don't know.
Ask the bracelet,
It shall tell all.
Sep 28, 2016
Sep 28, 2016 at 9:53 PM UTC
When the bracelets that you wear become
symbolic of who you love,
and I wore two while you had none.
Would it matter how these bracelets looked?
If it does:
One was pink, it bore the symbol of Christianity
I had been asked many times if it was
but all it proved was my unconditional sinless love
for you
the other was striped, red and white
while everyone told me it "was so much like me"
I wore it because it "was so much like you"
and by now we had melted into each other.
I suppose we started falling apart when they did,
the first I lost yesterday.
Feb 23, 2016
Feb 23, 2016 at 3:04 PM UTC
Our bracelets don't match
Made by different friends and me
Thanks for accepting.
Sep 2, 2015
Sep 2, 2015 at 10:57 AM UTC
I collect memories of you
and wear them like a charm bracelet
They delicately dangle and glint in the sun
like tiny wind chimes
You are cast in silver
cold to the touch, yet warm on my wrist
Chain-link ringlets coil closer than your hair
loose clasp, smooth hands
Flawless fractals falling one by one
Aug 13, 2015
Aug 13, 2015 at 2:29 AM UTC
It’s that time of year when I think of you....
And all the strange things we used to do...
We were young and cast our fate to the wind...
Regardless of the message that we might send..
Out to the world , cause we didn’t care...
And that’s what brings me here to share....
You treated me just like a queen honey bee..
And I believed and worshiped thee...
We shared our ups and downs together...
In thick and thin and stormy weather...
What was mine was mine and yours was mine.....
And we never ever crossed that line !
I assumed it would always be just you and me...
As no one else appealed you see....
My friends said you will break my heart...
But I told them that, I was just too smart....
As I remembered , what I was taught....
That no one could control my thought...
And then it happened I lost my heart....
My bracelet, my watch and my college ring...
And then you did that awful thing...
You lied , you cheated , you had stolen my bling...
And that’s why now you aren’t around....
Plus no way... will you EVER.... be found....
Apr 12, 2015
Apr 12, 2015 at 2:21 PM UTC