A Living Memory

"The only thing that makes life possible is permanent intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next." ~ Ursula K. Leguin

My world couldn't believed that he stopped living,
so suddenly and shockingly, he expired.
I was astounded to hear and I became subdued.
My heart crumbled when crumbly body was his,
he didn't tell us and wave us, and we couldn't also do that.
Like a river he went and will never be again with us.

He was the one, who had the hand of an artist
who drew and painted so well.
The one who played table tennis beautifully and chess intelligently.
He was softly-spoken person and perfectionist
and the one who constantly sweated.
But now neither of these functions nothing.

When we went there in his place,
he was asleep without even a movement.
His beloved mother was there who cried and cried with all her words;
"Pema you see, your friends have come, get up my love, get up.
How can I live now without you?"
But her words were all in a vain, never heard by him.

His mates came in ones and twos sinking themselves on the chairs
provided each with a cup of tea.
They picked the cups and swallowed the contents
rushing for their snoozing friend because they came for this
but failed to see as he was covered with shroud.
Instantly a man went and made us to throw all our glances on him.

A piteous face we saw,
in a moment the world there burst in tears
some sobbed and others wailed.
I ignored, but catching his pitiful face
remembering the past times we did
it moved me to tears.

Any amount of ignoring
was unable to stop us from crying.
None of us could do anything
apart from being in tears.
He killed all his time slumbering unconsciously
and we did, crying till our tears ended.

After few hours, I had reached at temple
offering butter lamps for my dearest  friend;
"God he didn't fully lived his life,
may you bless him for his unseen faith and death,
may his soul rest in peace for he deserves,
meet you my beloved friend in next generation."

P.S. I had composed this poem [in class 9 2009] in the memory of my beloved friend Pema Tsheltrim, who finally met the inevitable death at the early age. I felt melancholy to feel his unprepared death and after all to listen to his mom's wishes of aspiration from him that brought tears in my eyes. His unprepared death reminds us that one day or another, we must face this Law, so always be prepared.