Nishith's Surprise Parting

NISHITH'S SURPRISE PARTING

The last time I saw him,
He and I went brooding on life and girls,
Nishith and I were both fourteen then;
He and I, both naive about sex and love ...

Then we searched the library,
And opened the illustrated tomes,
Taking interest in these pictures,
We both sat down and took notes ...

The next morning the phone rang,
His father told me grievingly,
He'd died, his son had,
Taken 300 sleeping pills last night ...

Frothed and convulsed for half an hour,
Died in utter anguish and pain,
Never doubted the dose would finish him,
He left behind this note:

I loved Preeti, but she rejected me,
Tell her to forget me
And live her life fully,
And visit my grave just once to put a flower.

He took the easy way out as he saw it,
And Preeti has stayed unmarried still ...
O! what blows life gives us,
Nishith, in his death, yet lives on.


© Dr. Taher Kagalwala

Prompt for this round was: Write a free verse, of which the first line should be 'The last time I saw him/her'.