I Remember That Farewell Night

Placed on a pompous plate, my farewell cake Looked as listless as my colleagues waiting to leave, Polite words were vouched, more for goodness' sake Than truth's, I recall that eventless eve When eased I was unto my life's late eve Called retirement, an edge of precipice, A web of old memories to re-weave, Warm words when felt like frosted cubes of ice. When cake tasted bitter with sweet icing, Cold drinks warmed by hype and hypocrisy, A pomp-enwrapped packet when lay waiting, Pretentiously packed as to look pricey! A toothless tiger was being set free To fade, after long weeks of cajoling To win over an averse die-hard me For a farewell after some arm-twisting, When virtues were extolled alien to ears: That, I would be missed for long time that comes By all— colleagues and peers and superiors— Ho-hum that failed to add up to the sums. My value was when mouthed without a pause, I cut at last the cake amidst applause; Yea, I remember well my farewell plight, When I'm supposed to slip into life's looming night— An edge of precipice called retirement, When overnight I felt like a force spent! ____________________________________________________ To be fair to the company I worked for, my farewell function was nowhere as dull as this piece might suggest. But the truth is: I do not like farewells, soaked as they are in hypocrisy. I tried to avoid this one as much as I had many before, but failed. And a routine had to be gone through! _____________________________________________________ Tongue-in-cheek | 02.02.13 |