The “Thought”

I have misplaced the “thought” you gave me,
When I first left home
In search of knowledge.

The “thought”, do you remember?
It woke me up before every dawn,
Urging me to study for the exam.
I carried it with me, carefully,
Traveling from city to city.
Later, it was my source of wisdom
Whenever I was hurt or let down.

That “Thought” sounded an alarm
Before the weather report….
Useful in the laboratory of life
Measuring my growth
After many experiments.

The “Thought” that was a toy
For my father; he felt he had to take
All decision for me.
I changed many night shelters,
Hoping to find a cuckoo’s nest – perhaps a home.

The “Thought” was a great solace
Beneath my pillow
Throughout my boarding days,
A precious parting gift of childhood
When I was inquisitive and fearless.
It was a messenger to remind me
That heart-beats have to be counted
And a stranger’s expression assessed!

You once told me the “Thought” was important
For young girls in an immortal world.
I boarded the places from Calcutta
To Amsterdam to Delhi to Singapore to Chicago to Los Angeles
To Calcutta to Dhaka to Bangalore, Bombay and then to Dubai
Composing songs and reading poems
To a mass of faces, searching
For love and harmony and a sense of belonging

The “Thought”. I live its loss….