Death, A Kind One

By Preetham Halwi

Dear Death, eternal peace,

The silent shore where all journeys end—

We inhale the fragile breath of moments,

Every minute, every second, every fading day,

Only to flow back into your waiting arms.

A circle spun before the dawn of time,

When age was yet unborn,

You stand, relentless victor,

Pioneer of endings,

A whispered friend,

In every fleeting life.

We—half-blind pilgrims, half-wise,

Wandering through shadow and light—

Have always owed our fragile souls,

To the solemn promise you whispered,

On the first breath of existence.

The sorrow you cradle with each departing spirit,

The curses drawn from trembling lips—

O Death,

You are the mightiest current,

The unyielding thread weaving the endless tapestry.

Some bless you for releasing their pain,

Some curse you for stealing their dawn,

Yet amidst the swirling chaos of uncertainty,

You remain the only sure refrain.

Still, you do not haunt our dreams.

Still, you do not bind time’s endless river.

And that truth, dear friend,

Compelled me to inscribe this letter—

To honour you,

And the quiet kindness you bear.

By Preetham Halwi