Introduction
A haunting contemplative poem exploring the universal human experience of loss and its profound impact on our existence. Through vivid imagery of a mythical King who rules over all lost things from his frost-crowned throne, this introspective piece examines how loss shapes identity and the hidden wisdom that emerges from pain. The poem delves into existential questions about where lost loves, dreams, and parts of ourselves go, creating a powerful metaphor of an island kingdom built from collective human grief. A thought-provoking exploration of sorrow’s transformative power and the bitter fruit of understanding that grows from life’s inevitable losses.
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So many things are lost, almost every day;
a child may lose a toy, or an adult, his heart
We may misplace ourselves if we go astray;
if our choices in love are not very smart
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We lose what we love, what we hold dear;
we lose what we hate, what we so despise
No criteria - we may lose a smile or a tear;
we may lose our madness or what makes us wise
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We lose so much; our lives are tainted by loss;
wretched beings with their backs all stooped
We lose so much, we are defined by our loss;
garlands of failure, our tragedies all looped
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Where do all these lost things go, once gone?
This is the very thought that makes me curious
Do they cease to exist beyond their last dawn?
Do they become shadows, silent yet furious?
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Perhaps there is a dark island, far, far away;
filled with deep sorrow, it is eternally cursed
A sea of knowledge, all silent and grey;
pulsing with regret, an unquenched thirst
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On that island, there is a colossal hall of grief;
therein weeps a King, wearing his crown of frost
His legacy is so vast, and yet he fears no thief;
his, is the treasure of all that has ever been lost
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He laments not the loss, yet his tears are true;
he mourns the tragedy of loss, dying in vain
Loss is a tree that bears fruit, if only we knew;
the fruit of wisdom, rotten and bitter with pain
Shehryar khawar 