Once I walked by a riverside,
In the middle of the night.
There sat a boy by its bank,
With a torch and a lamp.
His mouth gave out a broad smile,
But he held sadness in his eyes.
My curiosity took the best of me
So I stopped and asked why.
“My mum as she died” he said.
“A fortnight ago,
told me of a river,
With fine sand on its shores
Where she’d wait,
with a torch and a lamp
With a smile on her face
On the day we’d meet again
So I come here every evening
With a torch and a lamp
With a smile on my face
Hoping she’d return.”
I held onto his gaze
Holding back tears
I had no words to say
To reassure or comfort.
Despondent, I walked away
Hoping sooner than later.
He’d realize it can’t be the reverse
And heal from his hurt.
Significance
Loss and Grief: The poem poignantly captures the depth of the boy’s loss and his struggle to cope with the death of his mother. It portrays his ongoing sense of bewilderment, sorrow, and a desperate longing for the reunion his mother promised him.
The Power of Hope: Despite his loss, the boy clings to a powerful sense of hope, believing that his mother will return to him as she had promised. This hope sustains him through his grief, giving him a reason to keep going.
