My Mother’s Death

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My Mother’s Death
Protiva Rani Karmaker

When my mother died,
Doctors said, “We have tried,
And as it was COVID-19,
We have failed.”
When my mother died,
Nurses said, “What a good soul,
And the sweet smile she had,
Her pain made us so sad
That we all cried.”
When my mother died,
Neighbours and close relatives
Whispered with confusion
Whether to meet us to
Show their condolences or not.
Only I and my siblings were silent,
Standing like uprooted trees.

Sounds, whispers, and formalities
Beating my heart like arrows.
The vast world lying before me
Seemed too narrow!
Suddenly my sons’ faces brought me back
To life and reality,
Suppressing the clotted pain of mother’s death.
Perhaps it’s called harsh cruelty.