Drifting off
a forlorn path.
Moments shy
of first light.
A drop of dew
on a shoot of green.
Instantly
entraps my sight.
 
Falling down
on my knees.
Yearning hard
to feel its grace.
I know better
not to touch.
Lest it die
without a trace.
 
Seeing me
in such qualms.
In intrigue
my companion is.
"Why not touch
and feel and love,
and absorb
a moment like this?"
 
Asserting to
her my thoughts
Ramble I
the need to guard.
To preserve, protect
and make it last.
Or it withers
and I’m scarred.

Smiling at
my song of dread.
Looks she down
at that drop of dew.
As I follow
her mocking gaze.
I see my fears
have come true!
 
Rising sun
in its stride.
Cast a ray
Oh! so bright!
Like a pearl
did that drop
glow and fade
sans a fight!
 
Mourning my
meager bliss
Heart is broken
eyes do flow.
I ask her this
in grief and woe
"Does nothing last
forever though?"
 
Wiping tears
off my cheek
In embrace
she tells me
"Forever is
for fairy tales.
Eternal may
your love be!"
                                 - Ibad Mohammed

© Rhymes in Reason, August 2020

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Discussion about the poem:

Forever, everlasting, unending… are these just words or does forever really exist forever? This thought came to me when I read a post by a Pradita Kapahi ( thepraditachronicles.com ) that read “forever is for fairy tales…” and it got me into deep thought! So, this poem is my take on this fabulous line by this amazing poet and the discussion that ensued.

The poem begins with our protagonist wandering alone on a deserted path. It is just before sunrise, when a mesmerizing sight greets his eye. He spots a drop of dew on a shoot of grass. Engulfed by its sheer magnificence, he drops to his knees and tries to feel its beauty. But he retracts, knowing that if he tries to touch that drop of dew, it would vanish and he would no longer be able to enjoy its grace.

This hesitation on his part intrigues his companion. She fails to understand why he stopped and argues, that he should go ahead and enjoy the moment as much as he can, rather than trying in vain to preserve it forever, and in the process, lose this very moment too! But our protagonist isn’t convinced. He reasons that by preserving and protecting this dew drop he would be able to make it last and hence will enjoy it for a long long time. He is also apprehensive that if he tries to absorb the moment now, it will wither and leave him scarred forever.

Our protagonists’ immaturity humors his companion. Smiling at him, she looks down at that drop of dew. As he follows her gaze, our protagonist is shocked to find that his worst fears have come true. As the sun rose, it cast its bright rays all over the place. That poor drop of dew, stood no chance in front of the mighty sun, glowed like a pearl for a second and disappeared without putting up a fight.

Mourning the death of his dream, our protagonist, heartbroken, teary eyed is at a complete loss. Morose, he asks her, “does nothing last forever though?” all he wants to know is that does everything he believed would last forever, love most of all, would really never last? Sympathetic to him, she wipes his tears, holds him in embrace and replies “Forever is for fairy tales. Eternal may your love be!”

Now dear reader’s if you want to ask me the difference between Forever love and Eternal love, I implore you to love and evolve in love to know the difference.

And yes, at the start I said that our protagonist is alone, so where does the companion come from? No, I have not erred. But who that companion is? I leave that to your better judgement!

PS: Credit to Pradita Kapahi ( thepraditachronicles.com ) for the line “forever is for fairy tales” and the inspiration behind this poem!

Do you feel differently about this subject? Or have you surmised some other meaning of this poem and/or any particular line/stanza? Do let me know in the comments below or on any of our social media handles and we can discuss!