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To You My Beloved: A Poem by Poonam Kakodkar

Time slipped through my fingers like grains of fine sand
When our hands were clasped like a tight knot
A fiery warmth seeping through weathered palms
To the tingling, tapered fingertips.
As you fearlessly faced the twisted plans of destiny
Every second with you was like a luminous pearl of infinite beauty
I raged inwardly at the unfairness of a treacherous god
Yet every night the lamp glowed at dusk
A fervent prayer for you in every breath I took
Battles fought against the black pessimism that threatened to swallow us
Your radiant smile and brave words gave me hope
So much hope that I was staggered when the inevitable happened
My beloved, you left me, yet I speak to you every day
You ain’t a mere memory, you’re with me from the time I rise
Till the time I sink into a dreamless sleep
Is that your spirit or a hallucination,  it’s immaterial to me as I have you by my side.
Your wise words are a balm to my aching heart
They sense every dilemma and help me navigate
Through the daily quagmire of countless expectations
You’re my magnificent lodestone till the end of time.