Good Byes

It’s a routine now

The Goodbyes and best wishes.

The subtle pain, this feeling of perpetual loss

Have all become part of a game.

The farewell parties are particularly muddled

As we gather one last time before we part.

Smiles wane as shadows fall upon each face,

Knowing this closeness is for but a minute.

The miles trod together,

Shared secrets, dreams, fears, 

Conquered tasks

Remaining mere memories.

Struggling to come to terms 

With the feeling of not being able to see  

This person daily tomorrow onwards.

The dear ones bidding bye

Reminds of the story, the warmth, the sheer human bondage,

Of countless days, conversations long and deep,

Moments now priceless but slipping like sand through the fingers.

As Time rips apart what remains of the prized bond,

Attempts are made to stay connected through a WhatsApp text or an Insta comment,

Basking in glory of the past companionship,

Trying to grasp what's already gone.

Saying bye bye to the bestie 

Is as bad as a frequent migraine.

The pain is imminent, expected but unpredictable,

Unbearable and inconsolable.

Missing the evening walks, long talks, 

Delightful treats, unplanned trips,

Chitchats that go far to meet the souls in the raw.

Making us wonder why it has to be so!

So here’s to the journey, to entwined paths,

To times spent together,  moments we’ve grown.

To the experiences we shared, the lives we lived,

To memories, suffocated in the passivity of it all.

We mumble feebly in the farewells

May life be kind, may roads be clear,

May you be blessed with good friends where you go,

May we keep in touch forever.

Ms. Renjitha. K. R

Head and Asst. Professor, Dept. of English, Al Shifa College of Arts and Science, Kizhattoor, Perinthalmanna