Losing

Amiya Das

What is hardest to accept? That it is not temporary That it will never return That it exists only in memory No more physical than an imaginary friend

Memories fall victim to the ravages of time Eaten away by forgetfulness Yet it is not quite replaced Leaving behind a sense of emptiness

The most painful part of losing Is the knowledge that the pain will inevitably fade Until the loss is so far gone That nobody will care

How depressing to lose How awful to forget But what can one do More than a fading regret

Only now and then does the vividity come back And the memory is triggered The fleeting scent of spring flowers The evaporating dew on the grass It lasts less than a second But can bring a locomotive to a screeching halt

How long until we are reunited? If at all in any way? Better not to wait and forget Than to arrive late and unwelcome Unaware of who to see or where to go Unfamiliar and uncomfortable where one belongs.