By Nandkishore Srinivasan
Fear my gaze, accept me if you can—
All the same to me.
Those who have met me are forever silent;
Those who have not believe they are above me.
Your powerlessness is not your fault.
Profound or ignorant? It matters not.
I do not wish to engage you, educate you—
I do not seek your point of view.
I will follow you till the end.
I am faithful,
my concern—willful.
I will keep the promise I made to you;
I will extinguish you, whiten your hue.
Make your memories, do your deeds—
Be honorable, be wretched—
All the same to me.
I know you all too well.
I watch you flourish and swell,
Not by choice, but to do my bidding.
All that freedom you waste,
Darkening your soul that was once chaste.
In fantasies that drain you, you slowly unbecome—
An ideal slave to your ambition you have become.
Suffocated? Respitated?
All the same to me.
All I do is watch with a cold gaze,
As I guide you safely into my clutches.
I assure you, I am never in stitches
When your eyes gloss over for the last time.
I usher in your final gasp to make you mine.
I take those that taketh; I take those that giveth.
I cease the evil from spreading their disease,
I fleece the good from sullying their legacy.
King or peasant—I claim all.
I do my bidding, for I am dutiful after all.
Unlike you, I am lonely,
For I have no one who will claim me.
I am immortal, yet have no legacy.
I have no will—a slave myself.
I don’t regret it, unlike you.
Like clockwork, I will always take my cue.
When I have your heart in my grasp,
As I begin to hear your breath start to rasp,
I will do my part and take you.
Too soon? Too late?
All the same to me.