Bipin Rawat - Former Chief Of Defence Staff Of The Indian Armed Forces - A Tribute Poem by Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

The mightiness of man's greatness and achievements
all in that fraction of moments comes to a stillness
when death rolls out its invitation and summons
even those who have bravely stood as strong soldiers
defending their country against dreadful enemies
yet nothing remains in abeyance when in silence
man resigns to his fate without any warning or anticipation;
such was the courage and cadre of one great soldier
who served his nation with stars on his shoulders
and until his last breath carried patriotism to the hilt
that as he died, as he perished all in awe waited
hoping it was not true, hoping he would survive;
death the mightiest of all confrontations
where rivals and enemies can never dare to fight back;
how vivid and helpless was that situation
where no pleas, no tears, no shouts, no screams
could be emphasized as in those flames they vanished
and in the lap of this earth they descended
ushering grief in the hearts of those they loved
and those they worked along with as army veterans;
and as that book of life will tell of his marvel journey,
of the battles he fought and the wars he controlled,
how many angels will not gather at the gates of heaven
to welcome the hero who served his nation
with trinity of duty, dedication and discipline
that even every friend, every family will remember
that before the Will of God, man is just another mortal
made to last while he breathes and turn into dust and ashes
when the last hour of life has passed in enormity of loyalty
which to his nation he gifts and surrenders,
a self-sacrifice so prominent in those hours of war and turmoil
as nation relies on that team leader for their safety and survival;
so Bravo and Salute to a Hero of our nation,
until the hours of dawn wake us, we will wake up
and in those hours of twilight we shall go down
when all the sunsets of our own lives are over
and as our time on this earth weans us off
from those memories of those who lived well,
loved well and fought well their combats,
we will never fail to remember all those
who were magnanimous and gracious
and one of them was certainly you.