Grandfather Poem by RAJ NANDY

GRANDFATHER

He was an old man, like a frail, weather-
beaten deciduous tree,
Bereft of leaves, tottering down our garden
path, stick in hand;
On a lonely winter afternoon, both sunny
and bright.
Surrounded by fragrance of seasonal flowers,
And radiant-colored butterfly wings -
Doing their hip-hop dance between those
garden flowers!
It was picture-shot of a life-time,
Which remains etched in my memory, -
Of a grandfather who loved us all!

Now it is spring once more,
And the trees wear their fresh apparel
of green,
As I see my little grandson running after
a squirrel,
That jumped up the garden tree,
next to the wall;
Which my grandfather had once planted,
Now grown tall!
Some day my grandson too shall see me,
Tottering down the garden path,
Like some frail, old deciduous tree,
Sitting in this rocking chair!
When I too shall become etched in his
memory,
With time's fall!

-Raj Nandy
New Delhi
12 Jan 08