Rite of passage

"I am hungry and tired,
I have spent years and years
Battered and in transit
There seems to be no end to my journey"
Said dad to the gatekeeper
Why should I be in such a state
Where I have no body left to feel pain
Why cannot I be like the other souls
Pass through from this purgatory
He repeated.

You shall be here
For you have not been forgiven
And as such you have been given no food
The ones who are let go
Without forgiveness , forever roam here
Until they are forgiven
And prayed for, by those that let you go
Said the Yamadoot

He waited and waited
For 28 years
Until his offspring could forgive
And as such at the ghat of Bharatapuzha
They assembled for his final rite of passage
Prayers and offerings,
Of sesame and rice, Oil and curd
Sandalwood , tulasi and flowers
Offered him his release, seeking his blessings
Yet the crows wouldn't eat

All that remained were dips in the river
And his son
Letting go of his bitterness and grudge
Thanked him for his existence
And let him go , for it was his epiphany
For though the son a preacher of forgiveness
Had finally learnt to forgive truly
The crows swept in
The pooja now complete
He had let his father finally pass on

May his soul finally find peace
And in so, may he be reborn
And this time maybe he may shine
Like stars in the sky
Bright and beautiful.