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Sacred Font (for mom)

Sacred Font (for mom)

Words elude as I try to pry them
Loose-from mind’s wall,  stream-
Lining them for a justifiable fit

Reverence mingles as tears well for a soul
That was so gentle and loving, a mighty
Heart that touched countless many

A mother of three yet unworldly, innocent
Gullible to a fault, often taken for a ride
By smooth talking strangers, friends

Nothing sullied her faith in human goodness
She believed in sharing whatever she had freely
With whosoever knocked on our door~ daily, nightly

Implicit faith made her tiny stature seem tall, she only
Wore immaculate starched white saris and unabashedly
Sang in gatherings-rather out of tune, her voice quivering

Folks smiled and let her be without saying a word
Making us feel as if she was their beloved child and
Not their friend or neighbor~ such was her sacred aura

Our rebellious ways she controlled with welling
Eyes making us feel like heels and quickly we caved
Behaving just as she expected without letting her down

Afflicted early in life, she managed herself with dignity
Never weeping or giving in, always carrying herself
With infinite grace and courage living life on own terms

Once due to cancelled trains I was helplessly caught in a human
Stampede, her non-stop prayers brought me home unharmed with not
A single hair out of place, nor any body part broken, miraculously

One day she decided to call it quits and gave up on life
The malady she had beaten returned after a score of years
Not prepared to suffer once again, she chose to live no more

Willing herself to die- she let go of her life surrounded by
All her friends, distant and close kin –after seeking forgiveness
From each and everyone thus reconciling her ledger of life

The night vigil is one I will remember to my dying day, as we bid
Godspeed to her departing soul –the image of her deity became her face
As wonderstruck we beheld this sight, happy she was finally home

Freeze Frame

Freeze framed

Tongue tied
stuck
in its bed
out of surfeit
of emotion
Fast dehydrating,
knotting belly
acute keening
running
Out of proper
adequate
Empathetic
expression
Of grief
of body blow
a loss so
Unbearable
in deliverance
That is
not
~

Special Love

Special Love

Out of the blue
Yesterday my
Ancient past stretched
Its Arms and hugged
Me close

My three year old self
Was again
Swung on manly
Shoulders, cradled
Playfully in crook
Of youthful elbow,

And
then
fear
Struck

I was
unceremoniously
let go
on ebony
spiral
Balustrade
sent
Zipping down
Screaming in fear
And excitement

All along held firmly
By the
Seldom
clownish
Often
stodgy
uncle

Today
impatiently
Waiting to join
His departed love
who crossed
Over last year
Hovering at the edge
Between life and finale
he remembered
Me
with love
quite fondly

I dialed my past
And spoke to it

Love
Never dies
Blood ties
Often ripple
In final throes

- old age renders
Loneliness
and impatience
from progeny-

I was his first
baby before he begot
own
today he remembered
me to express his
love that was
understood
never vocalized

some folks
just don’t know
how to say
“I love you child”

**

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