Trace Poem by Deepak Malapur

"Promise me, you will follow my rules as you have done all these years" asked Mary stretching out her right hand towards Trace. Trace knew his mother was going to breathe her last. He had been a loyal son and had never even touched the line of control drawn by his beloved mother. Trace promised Mary that he would follow her rules at any cost. "I will not give importance to my looks, I will not befriend any girl or woman, I will never ever see a mirror and I will never ever trust uncle Slater" swearing thus, Trace wiped his wet eyes. "Mom, you promised me you would never leave me alone. I can't swim through that vast ocean out there all by myself. Please don't leave me" Trace was holding his mother's hand and pressing it against his cheek. His tears were unstoppable. Uncle Slater came inside with a doctor and a nurse. "Trace…Trace" Slater was holding Trace by his arms and pulling him up mildly to separate him from his dead mother.