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On Father's Day



Five years and a month back
I lived,
In and out of love,
Love,
Which much to my chagrin
Would not spread 
Over my head in a continuum.
I was needed
But not so much,
I was loved
But never so much.

The longing
Shadowed the moons
Of brightest nights
And the clouds
Hung heavy in the cleanest skies.

The journey of centuries
Which traversed,
Across several births
Gasped and limped,
With broken breath
And battered soul.

And then
     Five years and a month back
A head with scant hairs
Looked at me
With barely open 
Blue eyes.
I dropped
A finger towards you
And your soft, pink, palm
Cuddled over it,
Securing it 
As a comforting coast 
Does to the anchor 
Of a tired ship.

We went on walks
While you 
Smiled and stared back
Like a little Buddha,
In the small bed of yours;
Set in the stroller,
You saw the ducks
For the first time,
And with you
I evidenced life for the first time,
Drunk in our firsts, 
We smiled as friends.

You would walk
Holding my hands
With uncertain steps
Joining the larger humanity
As a new entrant
Breaking off from 
The fraternity of toyhood 
              To which
 you seemed to belong.


As the novelty of walks waned
You would hang by my being
Begging to be picked
And once picked

 Would beg to sit on the shoulder.
Over the years
A certain deftness and dexterity 
You have earned
As you would swiftly 
Climb through the lap to the  
Shoulder,
No longer needing to 
Balance yourself by pulling on my hair.

I remember that pulling of my hairs, 
Which you no longer need
To resort to,
And dread the day
When I won't 
Even have your weight on my shoulders 
As you will grow
Too big 
And I will grow too feeble
And as the circle completes
We will go back to our first connect
When those tiny, pink palms
Cuddled my finger,
And like a weary voyager
I will rest my heavy head
In your lap,
And close my eyes
Watching 
You someday holding
Your finger
To another pink, little palm.


       - (c) Saket, 16th of June, 2013

 

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Comments

Unknown said…
Arent dad n daughter's relation special! loved the way you mentioned it :)

well, you can link this to our linky party !!..
http://mumsphere.com/fathers-day-2013-link-party/

Love

Vandana
June 20, 2013 at 11:02 PM
Saket Suryesh said…
Thanks Vandana, so nice of you to have visited and liked it. Good to connect with you. True, it is a very special relation, which redeems life.
June 20, 2013 at 11:52 PM
MartaWrites said…
So often I read your posts on my phone and it won't let me comment. Today, luckily I am on the computer and can.

Saket this is such a beautiful poem. Thank you. You really do have a rare talent my friend.
June 22, 2013 at 8:14 AM
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