Departure

Alas!  We have witnessed  the extinction of one more guiding light , 

Alas!  We have witnessed  spine of one more  home being broken,

Alas !  We have witnessed roof of one more family being blown up with the departure of a parent.

Deluge of uncontrollable tears, helpless sighs and at times violent shrieks and at another moment hushed up cries have reached far and wide.

Known or strangers,

Friends or neighbors,

Distant ones or kith and kin,

Have been wrapped up under the covering of extreme sadness,

Some have fresh and some have faint memories of the  dismal day of their own dear parent's departure.

While others have phobia , a constant fear of silently trodding death towards their threshold.

At such weak moments all logic flickers,

All sermons fail to provide the much needed solace.

"May the departed soul rest in peace", is a message that is received by the bereaved family.

But only the Almighty knows that no words have the prowess to console the ones who helplessly eye their creator turn into ashes by and by.

For the passers by a body is that burns but for the offspring it's their shade, their shadow, their strength that is  forever being taken away.

While the departure is a living nightmare,

Off and on, in months or in years in dreams they can expect and wish to see their departed parent  the one who was the dearest.