A Cherub’s Touch

A fast moving world,

That’s what it was.

Thousands of people

Rushing here and there,

Some shouting

While others worked noiselessly;

And hundreds of cyclists

With bells ringing incessantly.

The streets were abuzz

And life was electric.

The noise was loud enough

To wake the sleeping Gods.

But somewhere within

Lay a dying man.

A dusky room

With a pigeon-hole window

Formed his existence.

A thin beam of sunlight

Found its way through;

The beam of Hope

Maybe that’s what it was.

The noise fell on his ears

But moved nothing within.

He heard nothing, felt nothing

But merely saw

That ray.

It cut through his dilemma

Like a sword through the heart

And things became clear

As never before.

Life had been cruel,

That’s what he thought.

Grew up an orphan

But learnt to live,

All on his own.

He’d lived righteously,

As desired by his Gods.

A mundane existence though,

Introvert as he was.

But just as life began

The End was near.

Still, something was amiss

But pinpointing it seemed impossible.

Where was the justice

And the promised reward?

Where did he go wrong?

The ‘why’ was the most important gap.

He thought hard

But to no avail.

His strength was ebbing

And he couldn’t fight anymore.

He knew his time had come

And he must relent.

The struggle was over;

It was the Kiss of Death

Something beyond human control.

The light was fading.

Was it dusk or the shutting of eyelids

He never knew.

Simply a cool breeze

Lightly running through his hair

Like the touch of a beloved.

And then the Cherub appeared

In all her glory.

She was an angel

With the poise of a princess

And affectionate like a mother.

Slowly bending over

She kissed him on the forehead,

Gently held him by the finger

And pulled him along,

Music came from nowhere,

And soft light broke the night.

She danced with him;

Her steps were dainty

Yet the flow was unblemished.

Rhythm ran in her blood

And the music played to her tune.

It was the moment

He had yearned for all along.

His Gods were not unkind;

He now understood.

He had been blessed

By the Cherub’s Touch.