“Looking out of your Windowpane”
Life and death must go hand in hand,
like two parallel beams of rail tracks –
they take you in and out of dark tunnels
through clouds and rain, then sunshine.
You may plunge into a river of sorrow
in rushing out of the tunnel of loss and death –
so you must be alert, conscious and vigilant
while you sleep on this train – to heal yourself.
It’s never known how long the ride might take,
on this journey to recovery and painlessness –
to where you’ll see a rainbow of optimism
peeking at you through the deluge of sorrow.
You have to trust that this journey will end
and you will go on in life healed from the loss,
keeping memories alive of those you loved – participating in Life outside your window pane.
————
PS: I typed the above straight here on my phone just now even as I was thinking of the irony of life – yesterday was my 16th wedding anniversary – today is my mother’s 1st death anniversary.
Though my heart feels numb, I made an attempt to look bright yesterday, and went out to Quest mall for a Bangla film(late actor Soumitra’s biopic). And then dinner at Mocambo(off Park St) that was around and popular right through my parent’s times. I just didn’t want to go to one of those new eateries.
The last year I have made the effort to lead my life the way I know best, by living every moment – even celebrating my mother’s birthday in September – for only then will my Ma’s soul rest in peace.
Incidentally, reputed Bengali poet Shankha Ghosh passed away on this day a year ago. Over lunch I had shared with her this news I received from a poet friend and Ma became very quiet. Would I have even imagined she would be gone suddenly a few hours later!
Ma and he would have undertaken their journey to the other world together – over their respective poetry! 😊🥰
This morning, I garlanded my parents photos …then wrote the top lines in tribute to my teacher mother from whom I not only inherited poetry – but the profundity of life.
#lifeanddeath #windowpane #healingfromloss #celebratinglife #mother #deathanniversary #poetry #poetryislife #journeyoflife #wisdom #lifecoach #inspiration
25/04/22 Sharing a write up I came across that elaborates my poem here: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/on-grief/article65308952.ece?fbclid=IwAR2LLwA9UV8yblkqno6VEaLWjpw4ahkxiORKNIk6mgDHPhu78SRh7BaHhrk
Shuvashree Chowdhury 