the Boy
the Boy
The Doctors’ son sat
Smiling, captivated
In own world
Face glowing
Source unknown
His parents tended
To stare longingly
At our son, rendering
Unto us a squirmy
Sort of discomfort
Twinges of guilt
Always trickled
In as we hugged
Our much prayed
Pleaded for, only child
Our son grew steadily
In mind and body
Being of friendly
disposition, shared toys
With the boy readily
The boy had a beautiful
Smile and was sufficient
Unto him self and I often
Sensed in him an ethereal
Other worldliness
The glow in his eyes appeared
Heaven sent –his mind n body
Though progressed at a snail’s
Pace as this painful “reality”
His medico parents embraced
Then one day they visited
Bearing smiles, box of sweets
In Boy’s neck a gifted gold chain
Declaring the boy proved to be
A blessing to jeweler neighbor n them
Right after his fifth birthday
The kid brought tons of luck
The doctor parents landed
Plum jobs n babysitter jeweler
Got in his store a serious crowd
Now jeweler came over daily
To invite the boy to his store
The parents approved knowing
He couldn’t be in better hands
That fate could ever them bring
Love and care showered by Jewish
Jewler and his brood of all ages
Wrought wondrous change in the boy
Who progressed rapidly making grieving
Parents at last in quiet happiness, sigh
~
(* was reminiscing about my only son and remembered this “boy” esp. cos. after my son was born, he -my son was literally snatched from my arms a couple of times, our plane’s window cracked, he jumped into a deep pool as toddler and got into all kinds of “heart in my mouth” kind of trouble )
You Linger
Having touched
My life
You marked me
For life
You left
You remain
Often appearing
Reflected in mirrors
Déjà vu
Moments abound
Your spirits linger
In myriad ways confound
Alone, sick in bed
I sense your gentle treads
Soft breath on fevered brow
Sheer curtain’s sudden billow
I plump pillows, turn on side
My feverish palms find
Your sacred chanting beads
My divvied treasure, entrusted
Seated on stoop steps outside
I see you twinkling in the night skies
In shapely white clouds during daytime
You affirm your presence time after time
I see you in leaves of dusty books
A turn of phrase, in stranger’s looks
In gentle chides, in crooning lullabies
In firm tones, in disappointed moans
I’ve tried to live up to your expectations
Life is after all a slippery slope, you know
When you left, my horizon had darkened
Now I light my world’s wick with hope
Tides bore away your ashes
Waves obliterated your footprints
Your markings on my soul still remain
Pulsating in the blood’s flow in my veins
(**my homage to all my beloved departed kith, kin, friends)
Mom
you left
you remain
a lingering
fragrance
in goodness
in kindness
in simplicity
in veracity
in childlike
belief
in everybody
I drape your
warming essence
when my feet
falter and
I need
unquestioning
love
that you
showered
unstintingly
you left
you will
remain
with
me
till
eternity
Family Tree
I hug its trunk
still a bulwark, rooted
in ancient wisdom
a go to place
when life’s heat
crisps a slow burn
healing self in its
dappled shade, mentally
I hug selective boughs
Physical asunder and
Time have been my
Two main adversaries
In emotional upheavals
I give the tree an angry shake
Only sappy flakes disengage
solid stolid boughs
Hang firm – strong shoulders
My havens, a phone call away
Phantom Limbs & Shelf Life
with progress
things atrophy
comfortable ties
choke or amputate selves
DNA dilutes
Redundancy rules
often wonder at own emotions
and/or lack thereof
why feelings run lackluster
my need to emote, warmth muster
do feelings too have a shelf life
with longevity chalked out
absence no longer endears
fallacy, same old antics do pall
is it detachment or emotional turnoff
at life’s fag end, I cogitate, question
do relationships have a shelf life
with an inherent expiry date?
**
Old poem – same subject
Have been wondering about it of late
Do relationships have an expiry date?
Sight of some who gave a rush of joy
Same face same antics now do annoy
Some pandered to and cultivated contacts
Outlive their usefulness and only distract
Few relations that by loved ones are foisted
Over time do pall to be severed and discarded
Fake relationships make strange bedfellows
Quickly dissolving ignominiously as dodoes
Childhood crushes and some love bitten brushes
Over time reside in mind merely as fond memories
Neighborly relationships are formed dictated by need
Tested yet short lived with inbuilt chips to timely recede
Handful of friends and few resilient blood ties
Stay the course of bonds and persist over time
Thus I do maintain in life everything is rated
Comes with short span, stamped, expiry dated
*** *** ***
Practically all the relationships I know are based on a foundation of lies and mutually accepted delusion.- Kim Cattrall
Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. People are irrational. – Hugh Mackay Author , Athlete
A relationship, I think, is like a shark, you know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies - woody Allen

