Memories

Never, you’ve never been away from me!

Your thought

Suddenly floods my mind

Like clouds, like sunrays, like moonshine.

It doesn’t just sadden me

It fills me up also with joy,

Exuberant joy –

Like the gurgling of a flowing river

Like the warmth around the fireplace in winter

Like the comfort of a soft shawl wrapped snuggly around

Like the fragrance of magnolias

Like the velvety feel of pansies

In these ways,

And in so many other ways

Your thought brings you closer to me.

In laughter

In the creases of my dress

In loving endearments

In the echo of my words,

You hide,

Then suddenly emerge

And become one with me

Like salt in water.

Never, you’ve never been far –

Have you?

In loving memory of 'nanima' who would have turned 90 today

(Translation of the poem ‘Smriti’ by Kumidini Khaitan on 24^th October ’13 by Keshav & Shreeja )