In Memoriam

A Poet’s Passing

N Ramasubramani (known to all as Ramsubs), (PGP 1982) my dear friend and fellow amateur poet, passed away on 5th Dec 2020. This is a tribute to his memory, in verse, just the way he would have liked it.

The sunrise is a little paler today
The birdsong is a little less sweet
The laburnum hangs a little lower today
All creation seems to beat a retreat

Who will read my new poem today
Explain the subtleties of the sonnet
Reveal his own literary gem today
And unravel the nuances of the nonnet

As a poet he had a way with the word
As a storyteller he was a master
His tales transported us to another world
His verses shone like alabaster

His explorations of matters spiritual
Were a treat we will miss so dearly
His explanations of culture and ritual
Helped us see our faith more clearly

As we gather virtually to say goodbye
To a fellow writer and our dear friend
He would be the first to keep our spirits high
By saying it’s the beginning, not the end

Satyen Hombali, PGP 1982