Wink of an Eye

By Himanshu Ahuja

My face witnessed the widest smile,

And I poured my heart out like a juvenile!

Seeing you in that bizarre blue attire,

Dumbstruck, my body began to perspire!

“Dad, where were you all this while?”

“I have been searching for you as if a missing file!”

“The wait is finally over!”, my heart cried,

The myriad emotions wavered like a catastrophic tide!

The fire of that incomplete greeting,

Awaited to succumb to our meeting!

An apology, a kiss, a hug, a korero,

Could we make our distances narrow?

My Dad just kept his hand over my head,

He didn’t utter a word and took a step ahead!

The deep silence made the ambiance a drought,

Where the flood of tears was the only answer sought!

I went ahead to hug him tight,

Kiss his forehead and say good night!

Contentment, peace and tranquility I could feel,

My pain and anxiety began to be healed!

My mother yelled, “Wake up! Have your bread and tea!”

And, the dreamy sleep broke out into a nightmarish reality!

My Dad was gone abruptly in the wink of an eye,

He again left me behind without saying a bye!

He had died a long time ago, almost a decade,

Leaving me behind sans love, sans aid!

Some dreams should stay with us for long,

Taking us away from the grim reality to which we belong!

By Himanshu Ahuja