ONV's spectacles adorned his face one last time as per his wish. Maybe he hoped to sneak a final glimpse of all that he held dear.
The poetic journey that began with his poem "Munottu" (Forward) six decades back was finally completed with his last collection of poetry aptly named "Suryanteh Maranam" (Death of the Sun).
Though he held that with age came dissolution, even at 84, ONV's poetry never ceased to flow with him even penning "Padoo Ghulam Ali Padoo" (Sing Ghulam Ali Sing) in honour of Ali's visit to Thiruvananthpuram in January.
When the fading light penned its thoughts on the earthy surface, his memoir "Pokuveyyil Mannilezhuthumbol" was born.
The Pushkin Prize recently bestowed on him was but an acknowledgement of his leftist but humane leanings towards all of creation.
His pangs at nature being marauded into a wasteland reflected in his "Bhoomikyoru Charma Geetham" (A Dirge for Mother Earth).
The hand which penned many a revolutionary song also aroused our soul from its slumber to wake up to love's intoxication all around us with his "Atmaavil Muttivilichathupoleh".
Only ONV could have come up with a name such as "Shanti Kavadam" (Gateway to Peace) for the electric crematorium at Thycaud which will serve as his final resting place too.
We bid adieu to one of the most creative souls of recent times whose poetic contributions to Malayalam lent it a lingering lyrical aura of its own.