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A Man I Knew: A Poem by Srividya Subramanian

Memories of a bygone era trickle down,
When my exhausted mind yearns for calm,
My trembling hands reach out to gather
The timeless gems of love, of a man I knew.

When my exhausted mind yearns for calm,
I rest myself in strong, invisible arms.
My uncanny worries are knocked down to death,
His benign smile puts me to merciful sleep.

My trembling hands reach out to gather,
Sweet-smelling love notes pressed into my hands
Which are now carried away by merciless time,
Yet, the poetic refrains of oneness bespoken, echo in my heart.

The timeless gems of love, of a man I knew
Shall travel with me to lands far and wide,
Strip away my fears as I unravel profound mysteries,
Adorn me unconditionally, till I am laid to rest.

Poet’s note: This poem uses the poetic form of Lilibonelle. Created by Bonnie Williams, Lilibonelle’s basic form has four stanzas; each stanza has four lines, in which each line of the first stanza is consecutively repeated as the first line of each of the other stanzas.

The stanzas are non-rhyming and generally convey a poignant feeling. Hence, apt for this topic.