When breath becomes air
In this poem I am processing the grief of losing my beloved maternal aunt. I am continuously reminded of “When breath becomes air” by Paul Kalanidhi. And I use that title as the starting point.
When water becomes tear
When fire meets pyre
Who do you call?
What do you miss?
Tears on the faces
Roll down in places
You may not remember
Memories that remain
When near becomes far
When light becomes dark
What do you remember?
Who do you kiss?
When you sleep to never awake
Death is then a celebration of life
When you are free from
The prison of sickness
When body becomes fossil
When arguments fade way
unconditional love flows free
Unfortunately, this love you can’t see
***
I am so far away
I can’t hold your hand
Or let myself sway
In the breeze of your breath
I hold deep in my heart
the warmth of your touch
And I desperately miss
The touch of your lips
Against my forehead
That time we met
Seven years ago
unaware, it will be the last
I wish I had held you
for an extra moment or two
And I wish I had expressed
How I treasured and loved you