educated

i overheard
a conversation
of great obvious knowledge

i pretended
i wasn't listening

i continued
standing in the bus queue
going to get an education
on my way to college

but somehow
the words that i had
overheard
wouldn't go away

they made more sense
than the mathematical
alpha theta
and Villard's discovery
Ernest'ly named gamma ray

the words resonated
between the walls
of my young bright empty mind
ready to be dictatorially painted

strange
how some moments
come before time

and how some
make time wait

and how some
never do

damn i said
damn
my biology teacher
taking about copulating humans
never sounded so true

this sudden exposure to wisdom
rattled me a little
like the teacher had taught
in the chemistry class
pouring acid on rubber
makes it brittle

or does it break
never mind,
the teacher never asked
for my take

determined to know
the truth
i went to times
square, i faced it
knocked on its tickers
and said i have a question
and then i raised it

i heard a bloke
talk about
you versus the moment
so tell me who is stronger
and be honest

right then
moment walked in
joined the conversation
and said

you will know
just not now
now is not the right time

time, hearing this
laughed out loud
turned towards me
and said

could you please wait
i am kind of busy
will be back with you
in a moment

confounded
i thought
this morning i left home
to get to college
but it was on the way
that i got schooled