Today’s prompt is – “In the world of well-known poems, maybe there’s no gem quite so hoary as Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem about your own road not taken – about a choice of yours that has “made all the difference,” and what might have happened had you made a different choice.”
This poem is a tribute to my father who I lost on 26/11/2020.
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Standing at the water’s edge
I bore no malice or grudge
Holding the banana leaf over my head
I stepped into the river bed
“Dip,” he said, the man in the orange robe
with eyes that reflected the wisdom of the globe
I did what I was told, one hand holding the leaf over my head
the other my nose and I let my grief flow into the river bed
The waters washed over me
and before my eyes I saw the journey-
The choices I made
The dreams to rest I laid
Some taken by him, who loved
me. Some for him I had shoved
“Dip” he said again
Tapping the stone steps with his wooden cane
The paths taken
the roads forsaken
I lifted my head out of breath
Aware that a breath away was death.
“Dip,” he said. “Your body whole,
“and pray for the departed soul”
I dipped once more, my eyes shut close
Was moments before I rose
Every step that led me to him here
and allowed me to be near
“Now look towards the lingam* and pray” the sadhu** said
“for the dead.”
I joined my hands and prayed
For forgiveness- for every mistake he thought he made
Gratitude for those journeys we took
And I thought, ‘ If again it be, the slightest diversion I wouldn‘t brook.’
lingam* – the idol of Lord Shiva
sadhu**- Hindu priest

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8 responses to “NaPoWriMo Day 2 : The Road Taken- I’ll take it again”
A wonderful and fantastic tribute to your loving father, Smitha. Such a lovely picture with your daughters too. Lovely poem.
What a wonderful poem of healing.
Thank you dear VJ. I found writing it cathartic.
This is beautiful, Smitha. A wonderful tribute to you amazing father. Hugs.
Very moving Smitha. The repeating of the ‘dip’ brings a sense of healing.
Thank you Andrea. So glad you liked the poem.
I suppose that’s why they make us do it. Standing in the open river under the sun and dipping and going several times in and out kind of gets your body and mind into acknowledging all that’s happened.
A beautiful goodbye.
Thank you Manja for the kind appreciation.