Dr Pradeep’s poem glimpses a mysterious love in a dream, a silent companion whose face she knew yet didn’t, exclusively for Different Truths.

Somewhere far away, I glimpsed a dream,
A shadow walked beside me in the twilight’s seam.
A face I had never thought of, yet somehow it seemed I had known—
Silent footsteps treading lightly, though I was alone.
 
“Who are you?” I asked, with voice soft as the night,
Yet no answer came, only a quiet smile, alight.
A presence so near, yet just out of reach,
Like waves retreating from a sandy beach.
 
The stranger, faceless yet clear as day,
Said without words, “I am all you see—and nothing, in a way.”
A luminous visage, pristine and warm,
A silent companion in the sun and storm.

The light in those eyes, pure and bright,
It haunts me still, like a ghost of delight.
Day after day, I feel its gentle pull,
An invisible bond, intangible yet full.
 
Never speaking, but somehow always near,
A smile that lingers, unfazed by fear.
This silent face, this friend unknown,
 Remains close by, though outwardly alone.
 
“Who are you, stranger?
Or are you no stranger at all?”
In the quiet of night, I hear its call—
A calling so soft, like a breeze through the leaves,
 
A presence that soothes but never relieves.
With each passing day, this shadow and I,
Drift hand in hand, though I never know why.
Are you my guide, my mentor, and my friend?
 
Or a reflection that lingers, never to end?
There are no answers, only a smile.
That speaks of journeys and stars in exile.
Perhaps we are one, you and I, yet apart,
Joined by a whisper deep within the heart.                                      
 
You are no stranger, though we meet anew,
In dreams that shimmer, in skies so blue.
Forever together, we walk this line,
You, silent shadow, are forever mine.                             
 
And as I look on, with hope in my gaze,
I ask once more, in a quiet phrase –
Stay, be my blessing, my love, my light,
A comfort unseen in the dead of night.
 
I may never touch you, yet you are near,
Bound to my soul, forever here.
So, stay, be my solace, my silent friend,
An eternal presence that will never end... 

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Dr Pradeep Kaur Rajpal

Dr Pradeep Kaur Rajpal, an assistant professor at DAV College, Jalandhar, holds a Master of Arts degree and an MPhil and PhD from SLIET, Longowal. With over 17 years of teaching experience, she has made significant contributions to academic and research fields. She has taken part in numerous national and international conferences, where she has given insightful papers and chaired a session at an international conference organised by Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College, Anandpur Sahib.

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