The Interregnum Poem by Om Chawla

{This narrative is about the interregnum between clinical death
and Revival of a clinically dead. Long time back I had read a
book titled 'Life after Life' which is a study of sorts of
experiences of persons who actually revived after being
clinically dead.}

Pronounced dead by the doctor
awaiting removal he lay on the stretcher
'Hours have elapsed; is there no one from the family? '
was the doctors query.
'Remove the body to the mortuary'
he said tersely.

Late, very late came the family'
'Save the victim' they pleaded tearfully.
'We have done our best, ' responded doctor,
'Its God's wish; its all over.'

Suddenly a groan emanated
from beneath the white sheet covering.
Something stirred on the trolley.
Again was heard the groaning sound,
And silence fell all around
Bewildered doctor spurred into action,
'Its impossible' thought the doctor
'Could the dead have come alive? '

A few days later, as the victim stabilized
A team of doctors questioned queried and pried
for the details, the victim obliged,
'Driving on the highway at some speed
and hit by a speedier vehicle from behind,
my car crashed into the roadside tree'
Recollecting something, he then mumbled
'It was some tunnel, a long dark tunnel
through which I passed, probably escaped.'
'What? what? what? What did you say?
Which long dark tunnel? And what escape? '
Asked the doctor staring fixedly.
After a pause he replied hesitatingly,
'I don't know, but.... yes,
Yes it was a tunnel,
A sort of a tunnel, yes it was.'
'Alright, alright. What happened next? '

'I lay crushed between steering and seat,
with arms dangling and a crowd around me;
a young man called the ambulance
and tugged at the seat, releasing me;
feeling my pulse, the nurse then cried
'Hurry up, he is sinking, aside aside.'
The doctor then inquired,
'Where were you, how could you see? '
'I don't know, ' he replied quizzically,
'perhaps I was there somewhat above perhaps.'
'You said you escaped through some tunnel,
did you reenter the same? '
'N-no, oh no,
May be, but I don't know.'
So saying silent he fell.

'What does it mean, ' a doctor then observed,
'Does it mean soul came out of the body,
It hovered around! and saw! and heard!
But with brain dead how could he see,
Coming out and reentering the body
Body specific soul would have to be!
How very crazy it sounds to be.'