Battle of the Cells, Part 4
Her eyes are now sunken
Solitary small shiny balls in a hollow
Her bones stiff and skin dry
Her shoulders skeletal and body wiry
Her spirits resolute till a few days back
Are also giving way to restlessness
She can’t eat and is surviving on water
And a few spoons of lentil and curd
Sometimes there’s a faraway look
In her drooping eyes
In her Buddha face
I try to cheer her up
Ma, life is good
And now you are ready
For another evolution
Be strong and happy
She says almost in a whisper
“I try but the body has its ways”
Then a reassuring: “I am happy”
Marauding cells are scoring
Minor victories inside her
And I pray for a peaceful transition
13 March 2008
