The Old School Reunion

I’m sorry old friend,
But you must now leave.
In the current scheme of things
I’m afraid, we cannot;
Accommodate you.

Your life is a reminder
Of all that we once cherished
And believed in.

But times have changed.
Over the years we have evolved.
There has been a significant shift
In our goals and targets.
And it is with some regret
That we now bid you an uneasy
Farewell.

You do appreciate, of course,
We are not rejecting you.
We are merely putting you
In an appropriate perspective
Of a certain given context.

We do not doubt your greatness.
We understand who you are.
We know where you’ve been.

When we talk of you
It is with awe and respect,
For a life well lived and well fought.

You have earned your rightful place
In our conversations and memories,
Have become a part of the old school folklore,
The hero of the bedtime stories
We tell our children.

And as always we salute you.

But I’m sorry old friend,
You must now leave.
In the current scheme of things,
I’m afraid , we cannot;
Accommodate you.

December, 2006
New Delhi