ELEGY FOR MY AJJA
He left this world on August 12th, 2024, They said he passed quietly, not troubling his son, On a Monday, they told me—people who leave on Mondays Are said to find their way to heaven. Always in his kache panje , crisp and clean, You were so strong, Ajja—witness to a world That spanned from the dawn of independence To this age of AI, and yet you never needed glasses, Still walking with purpose even in your ripe years. The way you loved your wife—how I dreamed Of a love like that, of living a life as full as yours. But today, a heavy monsoon morning, The rain outside matched the misery in my heart, And I never imagined that grief would flood my soul like this. You were a part of my whole childhood— Those dolls, those sweets, the delicious snacks You saved and brought home from different shops, Your quiet acts of love I never fully understood Until now, as an adult, I cry for you, for your absence. Will you ever forgive me, Ajja, For not being there, for not s...