Shattered Dreams Poem by Mamta Agarwal

A young lad
Lay on the floor,
Wrapped in a white sheet
A smile playing on the lips.
Serene, at peace.

The dog whined at his feet,
Parents sat on either side,
Tears streaming down their cheeks.
Swollen eyes,
Aged by grief
Overnight.

Watching in disbelief,
Could
It be just a bad dream,
Or
The naughty son
Playing a practical joke
In his inimitable style,
Just to provoke.

A gust of wind
Blows in the autumn leaves,
Shattering a glass
To pieces,
Breaking
The silence and the reverie.

Another day is born,
The clock strikes.
Dreams wiped out in
An instant
By a drunken driver’s
Error of judgement.

Those who live
Must go on