Let them live




Like life mocking death
Water droplets on a dead leaf
Once green, proud and vibrant
Now discarded, replaced with no fuss or grief

Reminding you of outgrown relationships
That soared at their peak
No longer possible to retrieve
But just like the droplets, memories seek

A niche to stand out, a place to exist
Tear them not to shreds
Let them live out their old splendour
At least inside your heads.

© 2009 Preeti Shenoy

For more poems click here. Some poems have already appeared in print.



Yesterday I saw this leaf lying on the side of the road and it made me want to click this photo.(Please enlarge and view it to see its full beauty) It inspired me to write the above poem too.
It is a simple (but deep) poem that speaks for itself. Think about the message in it.

Once you let someone into your heart, a part of them becomes a part of you. Like the line from the song Hotel California goes "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."(See my current mood video on the right)

We can kill a relationship but we cannot delete it. We really cannot kill all our memories, can we?

Comments

  1. memories are for life even though with age they fade away

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  2. Oh so beautiful! I keep thinking about the people who are not a part of my life anymore....it's not that I am miserable, but a part of them always remains with me. Mostly is good, only sometimes uncomfortable. Fall season very much reminds me of the past...I clicked few such pics over the weekend, and had a similar mood :)

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  3. Memory is such a wonderful gift to us, isnt it?
    it is true, we cannot delete anything but we can choose not to pull it out from the deep crevices on the surface!
    A very nice poem, reminds me of a poem "murajhaya hua phool "by Subadra Kumari Chauhan, I think she s the poet.

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  4. Nice click and a wonderful poem, Preeti!

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  5. Anonymous8:24 AM

    Yes, very very true! Beautiful picture with lines to match - lovely! Reminded me of a few people who were once upon a time the world to me .. No regrets, though - the memories are just too sweet for any bitterness! :)

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  6. It was spring time, I happened to see a tree with new leaves. It just told to me make "new beginning" in my life, and So I did! Now the irony (and sheer coincidence) is, it's winter time, and that "new leaves" died too.



    Neo

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  7. Yes; it feels lovely to embrace memories!
    Short and Sweet poem, Preeti.

    Cheers!

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  8. no. we cannot.

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  9. Such a deep poem, yet so short and sweet.

    Well said, and agree 100%.

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  10. Beautifully written! Its true that we cant kill our memories and experiences. But the thing is that way the bad memories end up staying with us forever :-(

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. //We can kill a relationship but we cannot delete it. We really cannot kill all our memories//

    yup we can only keep it in dark little box

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  13. The rain drops brings so much meanings to our lifes. It makes the atmosphere fresh and clean. Leaves us with a smile on our faces :)

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  14. very true!

    had encountered similar scene, but had different thought .. as expressed at http://m-evinced.blogspot.com/2009/10/favour.html



    p.s. post above me by joyhuang looks like spamming attempt!

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  15. Beautiful poem, Preeti! So very deep and thought provoking.
    We see so many relationships fade away over a period of time but unlike the leaf that is fated to wilt, it is in our hands to keeps our relationships alive for our entire lifetime.

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  16. really nice piece of poetry..do check out

    www.simplypoet.com

    World's first multi-lingual poetry portal

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  17. really nice piece of poetry..do check out

    www.simplypoet.com

    World's first multi-lingual poetry portal

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  18. :) Nice! I think you had advised once that we don't want someone in our life we shouldn't waste a single minute on them. Some relationships leave a scar. A close friend once told me... Scars look fine on a person's personality...they add character.

    So, yes we kill a relationship but cannot delete it... but i am sure we learn a great deal from all our relationships. It's our learning that helps us value the good things in our life.

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  19. Mamta: Thanks :) What I meant about cutting out people was to stay away from 'drains'. I agree we learn and grow :)

    Simply:Thanks

    AD:Thank you! :-) we indeed can keep it alive in our minds.


    mihir: Will see. Spammer roasted and chewed :-)

    Rohit: yes they

    Srivats: Sometimes the box gets opened too!

    Ruch: Yes--true. See what srivats said.

    Only one:Thank you!

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  20. Rm: yes. Though the question was a rhetoric :)

    Shalini:Thanks!

    Neo: Everything dies--but new things spring up too :)

    Thoughtful train: Thanks! No bitterness but sadness sometimes is there.

    Gayathri:Thank you!

    Swathy:Oh yes! I had learnt that poem in school--will look it up! :)

    Shachi: same pinch then :)

    MarjnHomer: well observed.

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  21. wow!!!!!!! watta Beutiful poem. r ya missing ur Dad??????

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  22. Kuunal:Thanks :-) Poem wasn't about my dad though i do miss him always :-)

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  23. I'm searching for a banyan tree for inspiration this time.... :D




    Neo

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  24. Neo: may you find it :)

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  25. There is simply no "Delete" button to click on to erease memories.........

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  26. For me, one of the most touching of your posts. Beautifully written Preeti; simply beautiful

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  27. Beautiful poem....:)

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  28. I have no idea why u always write what I want to read.. it's as if u know what's in my mind and is telling me how to deal with it.. hugs..

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  29. You've expressed it in a way few can! We are whatever we are because of every life experience. Because of everyone who has been a part of our life.Memories of everyone who has touched our lives will always remain..

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  30. What are we, if not the sum of our experiences and our memories??

    To delete a memory is almost like denying it ever happened.. Somehow I am glad that we don't have that power with us! :))

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  31. hey thats a very very sweet poem...too good.

    beautifully written and expressed.

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  32. Hi Preeti,

    I was offline for nearly a month, while i was in Pune for vacation, been their for Diwali to be with family.

    This is a real nice composition... and the question you have put forth is very true.

    Cheers,
    Anish

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  33. Why should we kill our memories? We have outgrown the need, its alright to remember :)
    Water droplets on a dead leaf made u write this! Fantastic :)

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  34. VERY interesting analogy..comparing a dead leaf to a broken relationship!

    yaa..thats the best n worst part abt memories..the facts the one can never realy do away with them! As a matter of fact the more u want to do with a memory, more it stays with you!

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  35. Pavi: Thanks :) Yes--harder we try to kill a memory, more they flourish

    Shruti:Thanks :) Might want to kill as it can no longer be :)

    Anish:Thank you. Hope u enjoyed your vacation.

    Ravan:Thanks :)

    Ayush: Have you seen the movie "eternal sunshine of the spotless mind"? I highly recommend it.

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  36. Tranquility: True :) Thank you

    Dhanya: Hugs

    Anu:Thnaks

    Ramesh: Somehow i felt sorry seeing the leaf. Thanks.

    Ranjit:True.

    Reflections :-)(dont know what elese to reply! :P)

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  37. Thanks for the recommendation Preeti. I shall definitely watch it soon! :)

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  38. Hey cool....I smiled and u smiled back... we are on level now.

    Sometimes, just sometimes, I feel the emotions u talk about but my heart & the fingers refuse to acknowledge them.

    But I wanted to let u knw tht I came by, hence the smiley:-)

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  39. Memories are those which sometimes make a day bright or just the reverse ..so powerful..that many times we wish we could have control over it...

    Beautiful Poem !!

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  40. so much of sadness why ?? and yes truth too... :-( left me sad ...sob!

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  41. i loved the background the leaf is on!

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  42. i loved the background the leaf is on!

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  43. So true, memories just don't die, it forever clings to the ceiling of our consciousness.

    I loved these lines, I don't why but I guess you don't need to know when you feel it so much:

    'Reminding you of outgrown relationships
    That soared at their peak
    No longer possible to retrieve
    But just like the droplets, memories seek'

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  44. That is a very sweet poem - less lyrical for its poignancy of message -- unflinching in the last line...

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  45. Perhaps you are right. I am going through this.
    I am hurting because a person I trusted has cast me aside without consulting me.

    I put up with a lot from this person too, which makes it entirely more frustrating.
    I had to let the friendship go, as I value myself and won't be treated poorly. But I still care very much and that makes it hard.

    I've moved on. But I still wonder. I had no closure. :(

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  46. Anonymous5:10 PM

    Wonderful poem... But there are memories/people in the past whom are best forgotten or deleted from life - sometimes its so hard to live with those certain memories.

    I really liked your previous template :-(

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