Unprepared

By Nehida Parayil

Theme: Loss of grandfather to COVID

Tied to tubes and beeping things,

In a room alone he kept breathing.

Few days pass, the unspeakable happened,

Old, they said,

Should the path be tread?

We prepared, or so we thought.

Unhooked he came,

In three pieces of white,

To what was home,

Shrouded in grief.

We prepared, or so we thought,

Old, we said,

It’s better for him this way,

At sight, we wailed,

We were utterly unprepared.

The pale skin, clean and white,

Lips pursed and eyes closed,

The body with no soul,

Just a shell,

Of someone we remember.

He was ours,

Grandfather of mine.

Left are the glowing embers,

Of memories behind.

The weak chin munching,

The faraway look in his eyes,

Listening the radio by his side,

The smell of his soft hair,

Of oil, love and care,

The once strong arms beheld,

Silence worth priceless wisdom.

I didn't know, till I saw,

I was unprepared,

To lose his soul,

To lose his weak chin,

His soft hair,

His presence at home.

We cried, I cried,

With no restrain,

Except the closure that,

He is safe and far,

At his first home,

To where I hope to go,

When the time comes,

I hope I have the courage to go.

To caress his hair,

To know he is there,

Loved, safe and sound...

By Nehida Parayil