mnu

 hut

Flawlessly do d' rituals, presumed

Disposal of the mortal remains

tough, yet somehow was done

permitted to cremate the body

with d' local police permission

 

In the holy Ganga at Haridwar,

bones, waiting to be dispersed

till d' lock-down stretch is over

to be collected and preserved

 

Keep those safe is a hell of a job,

till in d' sacred stream it is flown

a must for d' salvation of d' soul,

role of 1st daughter-in-law & son

 

D' commissioner of police to issue

pass to proceed, accord sanction

cross d' sealed borders of various

states to advance to d' destination

 

Must process ample valid reasons,

till that time, how to keep the bone

not tenable to stack inside d' house,

d' dwelling place of family persons

 

Friends-kin urged for the lockers,

handy in the ground of cremation

they negated, expressed inability,

entire lot filled for d' same reason

 

What is the next probable option,

maybe to inhume deep into a pit

in d' front yard of the house, but

dogs & jackals try to dig out of it

 

Absurd to guard it d' entire night,

d' lock-down period might extend

but how far nobody was certain

no amount of consultation helped

 

Ultimately took a tough decision,

hang on d' high branch of a tree

if seen from a distance distinctly,

and from d' canines safe and free

 

To protect from d' birds and rats

flawless to use impervious cloth

get up on to d' tree's top branch,

for a non-climber, overly difficult

 

Tied it with an unbreakable rope,

and knot put with myriad throws

eyed each of d' throws minutely,

no slip-out of packs by the crows

 

D' potent knots, doubly checked,

currently in an area out of reach

till the grimy corona crisis is over,

now can go for a peaceful sleep

 

Prayed to God, keep d' family safe,

train, flight & bus plying to resume

till then shouldn't contact corona,

flawlessly do d' rituals, presumed 

No one will ever be able to prevent

Saplings, the lovely baby plants,

a useful investment for the future

garnish d' landscape, give shade,

relieve from d' solar temperature

 

Generate ample O2 and purify d' air

furnish fruits and nuts, even timber

will invite the birds, essential bees,

clear pollutants from d' atmosphere

 

As the elaborate lecture was over,

d' new sarpanch asked for a shovel

placed sapling in a pit already dug,

put compost, soil and covered it well

 

Did initial irrigation with a sprinkler,

between a long stretch of applause

a crowd of villagers enjoyed d' function

but d' protection part never ensured

 

Got from d' bushes d' herd of goats,

the shepherd boy singing, whistling

goats rushed back to their fav sheds

d' billy-goat of d' sarpanch, missing

 

In d' twilight of approaching evening,

the tempting sapling it could notice

escaped quietly to d' palatable shrub,

chewed d' leaves, stem and relished

 

Oath-taking day for d' new sarpanch,

d' elected members' welcome dinner

chose the billy-goat to be sacrificed,

for d' lavish dish of invitees, members

 

Sarpanch had a fever d' next day,

with body ache, throat pain, frailty

RT-PCR done and found positive,

ran into acute breathing difficulty

 

Admitted in d' intensive care unit,

d' oxygen saturation began falling

the corona casually devoured him,

d' post, power, kin could do nothing

 

Mishaps often wipe out the species,

sacrifices for manmade merriments

it's the ecosystem's natural balance,

no one will ever be able to prevent

Not me, she did d' tangible miracle

With a piggy bank in her hand,

ran fervently to d' shop counter

d' famed pharmacy in the street,

stood in d' crowd of d' customers

 

Wished to talk to d' shop keeper,

attempted calling him a few times

d' kindergarten girl of 7 yrs tried,

but d' busy owner couldn't notice

 

Utterly disheartened, annoyed,

put d' bank on the counter table

d' buyers-owner all looked at her

and watched d' unusual parable

 

The curious shopkeeper asked,

Hello dear! what do you want?

I need to buy only some miracle,

d' novice tone told in an instant

 

D' owner didn't follow her words,

neither any of those customers

all stared at her in utter surprise,

my dear, it's not available here

 

Surmised, he might be telling a lie,

she announced it loud and bold

I've ample coins in d' piggy bank,

how much u want for it? she told

 

I must buy one from your store,

but why do you need d' miracle?

a gentleman there funnily asked,

to buy it, asked your class teacher?

 

My brother got hit on his forehead,

in football match a few days back

parents hurried him to a Hospital,

vomited, had a terrible headache

 

Papa never says a word about him,

I kept asking him times and again

he will be back soon, don't bother,

but he didn't come home since then,

 

Mummy preys d' God, keeps crying,

papa had no funds for his treatment

said, only some miracle can save him

didn't ponder about my piggy bank

 

Papa hasn't that much, I've enough,

d' entire sum saved is with me here,

she lifted her earthen piggy bank up

and hit it hard on the pharmacy floor

 

Gathered the coins with her palm,

counted giving the entire attention

in lucid words stated, full 37rupees,

not less, d' buyers watched in fun

 

An alien uncle gave a sweet smile,

"You've enough coins, oh my God!

an ample amount for that miracle",

she got delighted, happy to hear

 

Uncle came home, met her papa

accepted d' amount from the girl

assured her to bring the miracle,

save her brother, no doubt at all

 

Clots took off from inside d' head,

with utmost care operation done

pain relieved, her bro' recovered,

uncle, an eminent neurosurgeon

 

He came back home fit and fine,

resumed his activities as earlier

lucky to meet such solacing soul,

prompt action, pacifying manners

 

Middle class, the worst cursed lot,

trek through many ups and downs

try to cross all d' curves-crevices,

just to survive, not to win a crown

 

Mummy asked dad in utter surprise,

how u managed, made it possible?

dad admirably looked at me, told,

not me, she did d' tangible miracle

Grace won't let you alone by any chance

Struck up in a debate the Sun and a cave,

sun wanted to spell out what is brightness

d' essence of illumination luster and glare

but not aware of what meant by darkness

 

D' cave acknowledged the blazing light,

but told, I'm no symbol of mystery/ fear

tried d' level best to impress upon d' sun,

rather a fathomless cool serene sphere

 

In d' end concluded to alter d' positions,

the Cave ascended up to the Sun's locus

and narrated, "truly its beyond wonderful,

I never imagined it could be so hilarious"

 

Just come down, watch where I do put up,

and try to observe what d' darkness mean

Sun dived down to the vestibule of d' cave,

but couldn't visualize any darkness therein

 

While going down it took its light along,

and illuminated even the darkest corners

had no occasion to realize any difference,

hard to realize the darkness whatsoever

 

D' enlightened can't be pushed into hell,

can never be dropped into a black hole

they carry their heaven on d' shoulders,

their paradise from them, not separable

 

Everyone wishes for the sacred heaven,

but heaven is not real, a fictitious place

it's a state of mind, one needs to achieve,

shedding d' negativity, fear, and darkness

 

By a fluke, people turn into dark caves,

and keep on stockpiling the hell within

despite such enormous accumulations,

they remain hollow, howbeit resounding

 

Illumine like a Sun, gloom won't matter,

however worse may be d' circumstance

blessing and gratitude ever will pour in,

grace won't let you alone by any chance

Face d' fate of the Buridan's ass

The disoriented unclear ass,

with its jarring hee-haw bray

quite luckless, with no options,

ill-fated, it wished to convey

Precisely put amidst d' three,

the hay, water, and d' grapes

has no choice to pick up one,

yet bent upon to avail d' best 

It's equally hungry and thirsty,

wishes too, relish d' fruits fresh

in dilemma to eat/ drink first or

first to enjoy d' flavor of grapes

A sensible ass as if is placed,

in this hypothetical scenario

equidistant from all allurants

d' hay, water, and grapes trio 

Attempted to apply the mind,

couldn't do a rational choice

lastly d' so-called 'rational ass',

had to die an irrational death

                              

Some fully confused, stand-still

unable to execute their free will

wasting time to decide between

covaxin, sputnik and covishield

To such dubious unsure people,

applies d' philosophical paradox

if won't avail d' vaccine at hand,

face d' fate of the Buridan's ass

Can thank you once again

 

What made you most happy in life?

the Radio Jockey asked his guest

d' millionaire visitant got delighted

to reply, its an enlightening quest

 

I had been through four stages of

happiness, in own whole life span

confronted accurately, explored

the true happiness, to understand

 

Initially gathered plenty of wealth,

by all doable means, as if in a hurry

but after some period could realize,

d' effect of this was only temporary

 

On 1st stage couldn't get happiness,

next started to fetch valuable items

hoarding a high-risk, too ridiculous,

d' luster of valuables don't last long

 

In search of happiness altered way,

in 3rd stage tried to get big projects

bought football team, tourist resort,

yet didn't get the hoped happiness

 

Now the 4th time, a friend of mine,

to buy few wheelchairs he advised

I purchased those on his insistence,

in an orphanage for d' disabled kids

 

Compelled me to go along with him,

handover d' wheelchairs to d' needy

no welfare job was ever done earlier,

prepared me and got mentally ready

 

Handed over those in my own hands,

did see a strange glow of happiness

sparkling in their eyes and the face,

joy overflowing in d' body language

 

I saw them all sitting on the chairs,

and having fun and moving around

as if reached a pleasant picnic spot,

enjoying a trip of merry go round

 

One of the kids grabbed my legs,

while I began to leave that place

I gently attempted to free myself

but he strangely stared at my face

 

I bent down and asked the child,

tell me freely, need anything else?

his fearless reply just startled me,

and I derived immense happiness

 

Trying to etch your face in mind,

if ever we meet in heaven

I'll be able to recall you and

for your kind gesture,

can thank you once again