Wrapped in the darkness & silence of the night

Like a log she slept

Gliding away into the world of dreams

Smiling & mumbling at times, but

Frowning & talking in a rage

Scolding someone, it seemed

When asked, ‘What happened?’

‘Nothing’ was the nonchalant answer &

Into her dream world she sailed back

Like a baby she had become—

Smiling, laughing, scolding, screaming

Based on sweet dreams & nightmares

With hardly a line of demarcation for–

Within seconds, one merged into the other

An enigma it was to even comprehend it!

The whole night with restlessness passed

With a blank page of its memory the next morning she woke up

Sort of a daily brain exercise–

It appeared to be!

Maybe the brain needed charging

Maybe it was God’s way of pointing out

The brain was still active

The emotional expressions proved it

A good sign it was, but, unfortunately

Gradual lethargy was overpowering it

To see her all confused & lost at times

Was indeed a painful sight.

Drawing her out of past reverie

A Herculean task it was!

Repetition & frustration were now her closest friends

No matter what one said or explained

On deaf ears it fell!

Trust & faith in every one slowly dwindled away

Searching for unknown facts helplessly

A big target before her lay

No escape from this condition is possible

A significant intrinsic characteristic of old age it is—

That only some surpass!

Accept & live with it, is the sole solution

This fact drowned all into the fathomless sea of sorrow–

A sharp double-edged rapier thrust

Their heart excruciatingly

As into her shell she retreated!

~ Anuradha S. Bannore

Vadodara, India