To the nesting squirrel,
In the trunk of the Neem
I bid farewell
I would not hear it chatter,
Or scurry to pick up acorns.
To the owl that peeks at me
From the hollow of the Jamun
I bid farewell
I would miss his hoots
Whilst on his nightly hunts
To the green ring-necks that
Make the mango tree home
I bid farewell
I would no longer hear them
Screech as they foraged
To the sparrow that hops
On my sill every morning
I bid farewell
No longer would I be able
To offer it crumbs
To the koel that coos for me
In the Banyan by the house
I bid farewell
My days of listening to it sing
Were at an end
To the Myna that squawks as
It hops on the tall jackfruit
I bid farewell
My days of seeing its antics
Were now gone
In my heart, heavy with sorrow
I prayed, ‘until we meet again’
But, I bid farewell
As I stepped over the threshold
Between life and…
I said my goodbyes
To my unacknowledged friends
My companions in life
For it was time for me to bid life
A final farewell
By Sonal Singh
Poet’s note – this poem is a eulogy to the two stalwarts of Bollywood that we lost.