Ganesh Chaturthi happened last week--and as usual, the next day-' Rishi Panchami'--along came my late father's shrardh or death anniversary.

Dad passed away in September 2008, after waging a five year battle with Parkinson's Disease. The last five months of his life--he was reduced to a woolly-headed version of his former bright sparkly self.

In September 2009, on the occasion of his first shrardh--I wrote this poem; a while back, leafing through an old diary, I happened to find it.

Here it is. My lament for the world's sweetest gentleman. Also pretty smart, actually. Anyway, thanks to him, I will probably re-activate my neglected blog.



My dad passed on,
A year back-
Lost to the fog of Parkinson's;
A shadow of his former self.

His hearing dimmed
A few years back-
So tv and radio lost him;
To passionate perusal of the papers.

The idiot box blanked out
A few years back-
But mum loved movies and soaps;
Dad's savings brought home a box.

He still drove his car
Some ten years back-
Renewed driver's license
At three quarter century mark.

Guests got picked up
Or dropped at train stations;
Visited sick friends-
He ran well his home.

Attended to chores,
Repaired leaky taps;
Debated with folks
On things that mattered.

Then the woolly clouds came
And claimed the lucid brain.


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