Grandma

The morning dawned grey and cold
Shock and fear had taken hold
Blinded and struck by disbelief
We rushed, jolted beyond belief

I still remember how Mother screamed
As she ran up the stairs
To confront that of which I had never dreamed
A life without YOU

With trembling steps, I reached the door
Only to see you lying peacefully on the floor
Still, silent, small and beautiful, like a crushed rose
I saw her bleed tears of agony, as I maintained my rigid pose

Quivering within myself, I approached you
A purer countenance I’ve never seen
Even in Death, you were as true as you’d ever been
The whispers abounded, indistinct and immaterial
They had come to pay their respects
A few out of love, a few due to regret

They spoke of your virtues, about your contribution
As if they were items that needed distribution
You moved from reality, into a frame
Your essence lost, we were never the same

I wonder why you’ve gone, leaving me here
When I’ve lost that which I hold most dear
Your smile, your presence, your embrace
Things which surpass all praise

I remember when I’d ring the bell
You’d throw open the door, with the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen
Now, when I come here, I wonder where I’ve been
For you, sickness and mood held no regard
For me, love was all you ever had
I’ll never forget the meals, that you cooked so lovingly for me
Regardless of the heat of the stove, or the condition you were in

You always believed in me, more than I did myself
You backed me, when so many others had left
You taught me right from wrong
O Grandma! You were always so strong
Even when your hearing deserted you
You always gave your best
Without bothering about rest
You worked tirelessly, the way you’d done all along
70 or 17 made no difference, only YOU did

The house was your world
Asthma and old age had done their trick
For you, every pebble had become a brick
You lived a soundless life
Yet you were the Ideal wife
You were the spark in his life
You gave Grandpa a lifetime of support
50 years, every step of the way
Until Death came to play Spoilsport

I remember the day, when I was but a child
How you soothed my tears, and held me close to your heart
I was secure, and nothing could keep us apart

Hurt, ignored by those you loved
You never let it change who you were
Manipulated, by those you called kin
You were given the same respect as a garbage bin

O Granny, you were always a gem
A peerless rose with a rough stem
Sharing the boundless love in your heart
Without expecting any in return
You stood steadfast
As life tested you at ever turn
You loved me, more than you loved yourself
To an extent to which no body can hope to return
For 6 months, you were in a coma
Waiting for me, so that I could come
And see you one last time

I can well remember, how that devil stood over your body
With a cunning smile of malice, lost in his sinful avarice
” We have done our ‘duty’!”, he proclaimed.
As the people salvaged all the gossip they could’ve gained
To him, you were no more important than a dog on the floor
And your demise was an occasion for him to gloat

O Grandma, I still remember
The way my hands shook
As I constructed your earthly bed
There was a lack of thought
Only pain filled my head

O Grandma, I’ll never forget
The feel of you in my arms
As we carried you, ever so gently
To the hearse
Adorned with garlands, of sweet smelling flowers
You looked like an Angel, from God‘s own Tower

Oh Granny, they set you ablaze
As tears streaked their way down Grandpa’s face
I was in a new world, unreal and fake
The falsehood around me was to blame
You went up in flames, taking me with you
A part of me, that without which
Life itself would lose its meaning

As we left the crematorium, in a daze
There was solemnity in every gaze
When we returned, to the place that was your home
Grandpa looked fallen, weary to the bone
The renovation and flashy colurs made not a difference
It felt barren, deserted, left behind
Stripped of your essence, it was but a travesty,
For outsiders to come and find

Over three months have passed, O Grandma
Since that December morning, when the world became unreal
Since then, every day has been a nightmare
I laugh aloud, try to crack jokes
But nothing I do, can fill up the gaping, endless hole
Which exists inside me
They say that time heals
The hurt and the pain
But what of unconditional love, stripped away from us
Again and again?

I promise you, O Grandma
That I will be, the man you always wanted me to be
I will fulfill, the dreams that you had close to your heart
I will prove myself deserving
Of the Love and Faith
You always had in me
I will be the Success, that you always hoped for

Oh Guardian Angel, may your soul rest in peace
May you be happy and content, in the Heaven
That God has created for you
For you are The glowing Diamond, You are Godliness in essence
You are that which is purest of heart
An Angel shining White, On Wings Of Virtue

I love you, Oh Grandma, to the depths of my being
Forever and Ever
In this life, and beyond

Your loving grandson