The French Singer

for my musician and poet friend, Manuel

Heart and soul captivated
by The Beatles
Sparkling eyes expressing
thirst for knowledge
The French singer
and his faithful companion
Mademoiselle Guitare
rushed out of the boat-shaped
bookshop amidst Sailors’ town

Classic blue, classic white
cover of The Oxford English dictionary
cover of English – French , French –English
Larousse Dictionary
glazed in his artistic hands

Petit à petit
he learnt English
from hardcover masters
and a great teacher

Et finalement , he could understand
each word, each line, whole lyrics
that governed the four boys’ world
and blessed a new trend of Music

Nowadays, whenever he feels nostalgic
he retreats in his solitary refuge
away from all-hectic
He sings The Beatles’ songs
in fluent English
and writes his own original ones
in perfect English.

Vatsala Radhakeesoon