This poem is an attempt to give voice to millions grieving this year- where tragedy had struck as a result of the pandemic and other disasters.

Lost in the meandering labyrinth of grief
Trying hard not to lose faith, to restore belief
In life, in luck, in hope that something would be
Back to a semblance, or at least a mirage of normalcy
She tried to get through the blur of days
Sorrow clouded her vision, in a perpetual haze
She took steps, some forward, most sideways
She felt herself floundering in a maze..
Praying, bargaining with God, searching for a sign
To indicate the direction forward, was it part of cosmic design
For her to get lost inexorably in this way
She could not perpetually in this state stay..
Friends and family had expressed condolences and left
She knew there was nothing more from anyone she could expect
She had not expected the grief of her loss to be
So profound, and all-consuming as it was shaping to be..
*
Her child, subdued by the transformation
In his mother, and his home, approached her with hesitation
Despite his young age he had by now realized
His mother was different, he did recognize
That a chasm that did not exist before
Now separated them, its width increasing more..
Yet he tried again, not knowing what to do
Expecting her to ignore him again, too
For the first time, however, she focused her eyes
On her precious child since the tragedy, to his surprise
As the sadness and maturity in his eyes she perceived
The sign she was waiting for, she realized she had received
The purpose in life she was waiting for in suspended animation
Was right before her, that moment marked a transformation
In her state of mind, she stood up, with motivation renewed
Her stance now a sense of purpose did exude
The child realized it too, together they decided
They would be a team, stand before the world united
*
The path through tragedy and grief is different for everyone
Eventually each time human resilience has won
So it was for the mother and son
A new life past their grief had now begun…