Gaash — A Call to Remembrance

Tonight, there is no night
there will be no tomorrow,
and only haunting yesterdays will remain.
Tonight, the stars keep vigil in the sky,
tonight darkness taints the light of all the days
that will follow.

A Kashmiri mother’s nickname for a son is Gaash—
meaning “light”, “light of my eyes”, “light of my life”.
Every neighborhood of the city, every village and every hamlet has a mother—
who calls her son “Gaash”, “Gaasha”, Gaasho”.

Tonight, a mother calls for her son, without end.
Tonight, daylight has been stolen, forevermore.

Look up to the stars, they will tell you.
Like the mother, they too remember
whether you do
or you don’t.

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