I always thought that grief hits you hardest on the big days but it’s in the little everyday moments that I miss my grandmother the most. This grief poem marks my official start to this year’s NaPoWriMo.
The portrait of the woman with a red bindi
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Whether someone came for a brief stop, a layover or a long stay,
Every single one of them gazed at the red framed portrait above the antique fireplace.
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Is that your grandmother, they asked, pointing to the woman with the red bindi, smiling behind the glass,
Not knowing their question activated the volcano of heartache and loss that still smarts.
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Yes, the woman is my grandmother, my nani, I would say, while the tape in my head continuously relayed,
She wasn’t there on your twenty-fifth birthday, she is going to miss your wedding, I wish we would just go out for coffee so that I could take her opinion on what’s trending.
-Armaan
You can support me by contributing to my Buy Me A Coffee
Photo by Andrea Davis on Unsplash
(NaPoWriMo Early Bird Prompt: Maybe one of the most common subjects in art is a portrait – a painting of one, singular person. Portrait poems are also very common. To get a sense of the breadth of style and form that these poems can take, take a look at Anni Liu’s prose poem, “Portrait Of,” John Yau’s, “Portrait,” and Karl Kirchwey’s “The Red Portrait.” Now try penning a portrait poem of your own. It can be a self-portrait, a portrait of someone well known to you, or even a poem inspired by an actual painted portrait.)
About the poet:
Armaan Rai is a poet who writes about nature, moments and memories, and nostalgia. She uses simple words and phrases to capture the beauty and complexity of the world around her. She believes that poetry is a powerful tool for expressing emotions and connecting with others. This blog, Oregano Oranges, was started as a way of connecting with other poets and readers. She wanted to create a space where she could share her work, learn from others, and get an opportunity to touch someone’s heart.
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