(i)
Time casts ominous shadows,
Lurid clouds of grief,
Presaging many a shipwreck
In its tempestuous swirls.
Puzzled, I stand aghast
Seeing my dear ones
Being swallowed by engulfing gloom.
(ii)
Gosh! My mirror is splintered:
The tallest member of our constellation,
Halloed in grandeur,
Gone.
In his hour of glory,
Cheered heartily by multitudes,
Blown away by the blast
To circumambulate in space.
(iii)
How many blood stains have I borne?
I have no count of;
Yet I smile
At my wounds, at my burns,
As I enter a treacherous trajectory.
I see many a noose hung in space,
Many a moony face in wait,
Many a tree and star in ambush.
(iv)
The garland quivers,
The hand shivers,
Utter blackout,
Utter confusion.
The hero who rode lay a colossus
With a bang leaves the stage,
The curtain rung down.
My tongue dry and cold,
All defences gone;
I lose my hold
And mingle my voice in wails.
(v)
Mother stands in heaven in tears,
Beloved spouse a picture of grief,
Progeny fatherless, forlorn.
O son, come to me, come to my lap,
You had enough share of trials,
Enough tribulations, enough calumny.
In bliss abide,
Call a day to your Herculean labours;
These Aegean stables shall never be cleansed.
(vi)
The hand that rocked the cradle,
The eyes that fondled from dusk to dawn,
The voice that soothing lullabies sang,
All consigned to EWAFE.
Search his childhood there, his sports,
His love-play, his exploits, his guts,
Search all these in a handful of earth.
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