Farewell: A poem by Neha Gupta

The clear wide sky was painted in bright orange,

Arid air-filled the void; traces of rain were nowhere,

But she was drowning in the dampness of her soul,

The warm droplets slid down slowly without any pause.

 

Her patience refused to accompany her anymore,

Emotions washed all the thoughts of patriotism.

Serving the nation was the right thing to do, she knew,

But the mother inside her dismissed all the reasons.

 

How this goodbye is different than the one she said years ago,

She hugged her husband last time at the same station, never to let go.

The whole country was proud of his bravery after his demise,

Her battle began when his was over; life crawled through the tunnel of sacrifice.

 

Shadows of the departure were darker than any night,

If only she could hold his hands little longer and tighter.

The moment to bid farewell was here; time just went by,

Sufferings inside her asked, why is it so difficult to say goodbye?

 

Her confusion vanished when her handsome son smiled broadly,

Pushing aside her fears, she smiled back faintly.

Life is a journey; on the path, rough or smooth, it must go on.

With a torn heart and shattered courage, she uttered, “Goodbye, my son!”