The Burning Woman

(Image Courtesy : Google)

Once upon a time, on a dark night,
I found myself standing all alone,
Scared, as always from the darkness,
That beckons towards the unknown....

My only companion - The open sky,
Jet black, with no clouds in sight,
I can hear voices inside my head,
Voices that whimper, cry and fight.

Familiar looks the deserted street,
As if I have been here before,
And then suddenly, to add to my woes,
It thunders and rain starts to pour.

In the distance, I see a lone house,
Lights glowing through its window,
Alone in the dark, I move towards it,
Alas, deserted even by my shadow...

Closer I get, flickery seems the light,
Blazing, as if something inside was burning,
I felt fright, an urge to turn back, yet,
To see what's inside, my heart was yearning...

I cross the picket fence, I cross the lawns,

I reach the rusty door, which was open...
With trembling hands I push the door,
Along comes the smell of char, and then...

The sight that meets my terrified eyes,
I would never forget in my life throughout,
I see a burning woman in the flames,
Burning! Burning with her arms spread out...

Petrified, I realize I'm looking into a mirror,
The burning woman is none but me,
I feel a fear that I have never felt before,
For it is hard to believe what I see...

I see my soul burning, but I can't help,
Finally realizing it is hell where I stand,
I touch the mirror, trying to reach out,
As she does the same with her hand...

Her tormented eyes meet mine,
And in her last moment, we both scream,
It's at this moment that I wake up,
Realizing that it was just a scary dream!

*******************************************

Outside, a gust of wind joins the torrential rain,

Howling and wailing, as if in terrible pain,

In the darkest corner of my heart, I know that

I'll be seeing the woman tomorrow night again...

- Sanghita, 12/05/2011