A Father's Grief Poem by Seema Jayaraman

As I held you in my arms, sinewy of all
The anchor, to hold you secure, eternally
Promises, A Father to his child, inscribes
Etched in their souls, spelled through the eyes

This crook, most solid and sound I sold
Forever here, the mast with you sheltered
I will stand aground, rooted, so no harm dare stray
No wind and no tide, no destiny could prise

To catch, console, when you stumble and stray,
A rough carees here, a gruff lulaby for Baby whimpers
For you the harbor of my shoulders, I carved
To groom you in a better image,
My sail tattered I unfurled

In the rocking ceaseless tossing, evil willfully designed
Banshee winds, towering seas, bloodied land left behind
Through waters that had beckoned, the only route
To freedom, a passage to future bright,
Other far off avenues denied

When the ship’s shepherd, threw away the steer
Swindled again, deceived humanity, the enormity of black scape
Wheels I held - the last fight, your savior Me to deliver
With only a prayer – Daddy Be Safe, upside down I realized

I felt you slip, surrendered, the nightmare, that never should be
All I held dear, in that dark moment, snatched from me
Desperate souls in black night, in darker depths drowned in treachery, dreams asunder perished onboard, destiny n'vr agreed

We were tricked, deceit craftily snitched, my life
My bubble, My froth, My fizz – All I ever hoped to be
That moment, eternity merged with Now and never, all denied
God welcomed his light, Earth and humanity left bereft

Yet to this wild, all undeserving zombie – Men
A reminder, to heed, to heal and apologize
Look my brother, the treacherous waters, did concede
A most delicate & tender shell, that once held a cherub inside

That which mother of all mothers could not hold
From her dark churning depths, she returned from her womb
Rocking on thundering waves, so gently a shining pearl
Ashore a wet tear swept golden shore, she gave
Now to the arms of human race I forsake

Witness my baby, my babies fragile, nary a delicate hair askew,
Nor the clothes worn or shoes, in place their angelic glow
For those with heart to weep, lesser beasts to repent
I carry the corpse of my being, weighed down by empty shoulders

©Seema Jayaraman, Mumbai (Sep 2015)