Five Buttons

FIVE BUTTONS They were five, in a neat row I looked at them, how innocent Straight and all She smiled and it was returned She stretched her hand out It was wrinkled, the palm unfolded I knew what she wanted My fingers did too, they started dancing Swaying towards my upper body Caressing them lightly Then suddenly, one came off I looked at the other four, and smiled I gave it to her, she wanted more The fingers began their dancing, again Swaying towards my upper body And so the second one came off She wasn’t satisfied, not yet So the third one had to come too She pointed at the fourth one It came off too Her eyes longed for the fifth I knew I was walking home buttonless, again So once again the fingers danced, swayed The fifth was off I knelt down and presented it to her Like a box of jewel It was more than a box of jewel, to her Valuable? No, more like priceless, she insisted She has always amazed me, from the very start I had to go, or suspicions will arise She knew that, I knew that We had our monthly “see you later” ritual Then I really had to go The other students were coming, friends, and foe I walked up to the friends, conscious of the foe Then suddenly laughter, friends and foe both What? I couldn’t understand “Your buttons”, friends “Buttons disappeared again?” foe I just smiled and said “have a happy weekend too.” And walked on, knowing, contented, That they couldn’t understand I couldn’t refuse her, I didn’t want to I couldn’t say no to her, my granny My very dead granny, so everyone thinks But I can see her, talk with her And she wanted five buttons, I offered to buy a whole packet But no, not just any buttons, but The five buttons from the shirt she made with me, for me Which was now like my uniform, I wore it everyday She wanted those only, I don’t know why, but I deliver And go home at the end of every week and sit in her room Putting on five new buttons which will come off, surely, certainly With the parents always asking “how come you lose all five at once?” I want to tell them, “I can talk with granny.” But that’s my secret, they don’t have to know.