How a shriveled body can reanimate?

To carry corpses to d' crematorium,

lately received the papers essential

already evening must start the trip,

finish the job with corona protocol

 

The next of kin unwilling to accept,

d' body of d' dead in this pandemic

disposal task, done by municipality,

d' tedious toil has made them sick

 

All d' tubing, iv lines, wires removed,

d' mouth, nasal holes tightly plugged

to prevent the spillage of body fluids,

in leak-proof linen wrapped, secured

 

Began d' ride after a prolonged wait,

felt like having a cup of piping hot tea

tired of the mass disposal episodes,

yet have a job, some income, a pity

 

After a while pulled the car to a halt,

nearby one wayside lonely tea stall

pleaded for making little special tea,

to get fully recharged, won't be dull

 

Shops unsure of d' folk with PPE kit,

 in d' dark finished d' cab parking task

not to divulge as the corpse handlers,

took off d' apron, gloves, N-95 mask

 

A person avidly waiting since long,

to go in d' same route to his village

barring few policemen no one seen,

no transport available, felt on edge

 

Driver, helper  duo may not permit,

why ask and wait for their consent

roads deserted for corona curfew,

aimed to board in d' hard moment

 

Nothing was visible in d' darkness,

he got up and sat on some packet

delighted with own achievement,

took a cigarette out from d' pocket

 

The congenial tea session got over,

came back and put on the PPE kits

on COVID duty, restarted d' vehicle,

it rolled ahead on road, put on speed

 

D' alien lighted d' cigar put in d' lips,

inadvertently the helper could see

how can a corpse suddenly get up,

and start a pleasant smoking spree

 

Got completely scared and startled,

told d' driver, must be a cigar addict

but what next, how to deal with him,

once gets charged, nicotine energetic

 

Portraying funny, how is it possible?

a corpse got up, inhales d' smoke in

stop and have a glimpse of d' ghost,

puffs out smoke like a steam engine

 

D' car slowed down, came to a halt,

both of them gave a terrifying look

with d' burning cigarette in his hand

he shouted, why stopped u crook?

 

Sir, we have some urgent work here,

jumped, started to run in one breath

afraid to turn back and see the scene

how a shriveled body can reanimate?

Own foul act chiseled him to an orphan

After several pressing deliberations,

son lastly acceded to admit d' father

in d' old age home with an impulse,

as wished by wife , thought no more

 

An orphanage cum old age home,

run by an esteemed Christian priest

d' available choices were explained,

a catalog showed by the receptionist

 

He enquired about comforts needed,

the TV, air conditioner and d' geyser

to be provided with nominal charges,

but dad flatly told a no to one and all

 

Son pushed off for luggage from d' car,

wife called up to check whether all fine

make sure of his full fulfillments there,

not to come home even in festival time

 

D' Christian priest appeared at d' desk,

wished a good morning, started to talk

son back with d' baggage got surprised,

cordial as if know each other for long

 

Couldn't control his curiosity further,

asked if he did know his father earlier

a freak smile rippled in his tender lips,

but never met him in last thirty years

 

Came to me long three decades back,

in a winter evening, the hands folded

and wife in pleading tear loaded eyes,

and a two-year baby boy they adopted

 

Linked to us, our revered institution,

we followed up, kept his information

grew well, got due care and education,

we felt lucky, victorious in our mission

 

Never expect such hapless time arrive,

an adopted orphan to be so egocentric

to put his mentor, own master caretaker,

in the same old age home, can't predict

 

Stood dumbstruck, eyes overflowing, 

 he could acknowledge his own origin

the luggage dropped from his hands,

d' mouth agape, with a dropped chin

 

Fell on his foot, entirely speechless,

lived a life king size, he behaved smart

entire life never knew to be an orphan,

d' loyal man kept him close to his heart

 

Dad casually chitchatting at the desk,

he felt defeated, parted, utterly undone

earth was slipping from beneath his feet,

own foul act chiseled him to an orphan

Light is visible despite d' darkness

 

Again we will have lovely mornings,

with a mad rush in front of tea stalls

no more queue in d' pharmacy shops,

nor any hurry to d' milk booths at all

 

Won't hear d' howling of stray dogs,

in the deserted school playground

listen only funny tattletale of d' kids,

whispers, shrills, shouts all around

 

Welcome wonderful evenings anew,

no more police jeeps will be visible

friends, allies will loiter in d' streets,

and plan for gatherings delightful

 

Nights won't be distressed in anxiety,

in d' scary ambulance sirens' tangle

hypnotic sleep only to break with d'

sweet banging sound of d' bangles

 

No display of the house-full boards,

in d' Hospitals, places of cremation

such boards to hang in the theatres,

and d' jam-packed cricket stadiums

 

No carcasses ever float in holy rivers,

hymns to reverberate in d' river bank

blessed dips feasible before sunrise,

listen to chants from d' lips of saints

 

Time will come, people truly dislike

to inhale the O2 from metal cylinders

no further spurious gas on payment,

can grasp it free from God-given air

 

Masks, distance, horrific hand wash

each moment on our toes to thrive

worries for survival ought to vanish,

honestly wish to live a carefree life

 

Surely such time again will come,

greet with hugs and handshakes

d' dawn seems to be quiet nearer,

light is visible despite d' darkness

Life is short to wake up with regrets

 

Mom cooked food for us, I was a kid,

that night she had prepared d' dinner

we felt hungry but she was fatigued,

after a long hard day's work got over

 

She placed a plate of 'subzi' for dad,

with chapattis burnt to its extreme

I waited to watch papa's response,

he pulled d' plates, began devouring

 

About to start to eat his chapattis, he

asked me how was my day at school

can't recall what I told him that night,

dad finished his dinner, seemed cool

 

I heard Mom apologizing to Dad,

in a hustle, the chapattis got burnt

burnt chapattis my favorite Honey,

for me a catchy juncture to learn a lot

 

Later that night, I walked to his bed,

while to articulate him a good night

asked, if he really liked d' chapattis

ate d' burnt ones, no grumble/fight

 

He wrapped me in his arms and said

she put in a hard day at work today

looked lackluster and certainly tired,

what do we gain by bruising her gay

 

A burnt chapatti never hurts anyone,

but the harsh words will always do

life is full of imperfect situations and

imperfect people, I wish to remind u

 

I'm not d' best, also I'm not perfect,

nor all d' people near and dear to us

life is not perfect, do learn to accept

each other faults without much fuss

 

Relationships in fact are amply vital,

must choose occasions to celebrate

forgive and forget the flaws, errors,

life is short to wake up with regrets

To allay misery, turn d' life a heaven

 

Housewife

Set foot into the silent stream,

didn't muddle causing ripples

did no-fuss got gently dragged,

by d' undercurrent of family rules

Wake up early, clean up d' mess,

rustle up eatables up to d' taste

toil whole day, all work-no pay,

 tired yet no chance to take rest

Work for the kids, hubby, in-laws,

no time to breathe, restful laugh

talked to such a housewife a li'l,

and sensed the life is truly tough

 

Drunkard

A drunk man, as if a whisky bottle,

all neck and belly, no head at all

arrives home late, knocks d' door,

so also in cell phone makes a call

Tells got flowers for d' pretty lady,

tries to put d' phone in drunk mode

doors unbolted, she saw no flowers,

did u drop those on d' lonely road?

Where is d' lovely lady, in d' dining,

 drawing, kitchen, see her nowhere?

deliver d' pretty flowers in her hand,

her favorite, nothing else, I do swear

Relished those ventures for a while,

got imbibed with d' guy's soberness

felt life can be made easy, enjoyable,

with no compulsions and no duress

 

Saint

Devoted to achieving the moksa,

praying, chanting, and meditating

to let go d' cycle of death-rebirth,

with a path of spiritual discipline

Begs for alms, preaches of welfare,

a bone tossed at a dog, no charity

but if it's shared with d' dog, if both

hungry, wait for food with alacrity

Homeless proceeds to far places,

visits temples, pilgrimage centers

that's d' real purport of life for sure

brought nothing, not a thing is yours

Spent ten minutes with the saint,

felt donating all belongings of own

he cajoled me, each generous act,

a true stepping stone to d' heaven

 

Leader

He knows d' way, goes the way,

shows d' way so-called a leader

can dream more, does enough,

so able to envision d' far future

Never follow where a path leads,

if no path visible tries to explore

fervidly thinks can bridge d' gap,

I got utterly inspired by d' leader,

No study, rather an innate talent,

need no mentors nor d' models

in few minutes with d' politician,

I deduced studies to be useless

 

Trader

Pushed me out of d' dream's way,

trading in d' share market notion

buying-selling of financial assets,

a high barrier-to-entry profession

Must have copious patience but

a way to generate add-on income

extremely hard yet looks lucrative

sat 10 minutes with d' busy trader

felt my income nothing, too meager         

eager to face d 'reality without fear

why should I not turn in to a trader

 

Insurance agent

The pushy agent persuaded me,

the  life, too dubious undeniably

preferred to insure d' unsure life,

for safe fiscal backing of d' family

An asset has a cost, to be insured,

health, wealth, house, or a travel

but d' life really of immense value,

often might be the last love letter

Heedfully heard d' doctrine of life,

spent a few minutes with that guy

d' unsure life if ought to act tricky,

for one costly cause, why not die?

 

Soldier

Reliable, fearless yet restrained,

loaded in courage and motivation

deal with hunger, harsh weather,

poor clothing and apprehensions

Woken up at dawn, begin d' day,

do drills in the morning and noon

diligent in getting tasks completed

battle ready at any juncture soon

A hero losing his life or the limbs,

a fallen soldier dies in d' battlefield,

spent few minutes with the warrior,

felt my sacrifice ever, petty indeed

 

Farmer

His almanac to predict the weather,

gives gardening tips, thriving agent

takes apt resolve what to be planted,

keeps d' foot out at d' right moment

Regard yourself blessed for d' work,

only d' hard work is ever rewarding

sustain d' flora and fauna of nature,

can reap d' rewards of your planting

Farmers d' stewards of agriculture,

cater foodstuff to d' human beings

can celebrate a day devoting them,

with him, I felt I'm good for nothing

 

Scientist

Gathers and shuffles, facts, figures

uses exploration, d' evidence then,

makes hypotheses and tests those,

met one such knowledgeable man

Earth had no moon, hit by a mass,

blasted, orbited, condensed steadily

formed two moons in the beginning

one ravaged, other lingered finally

Polonium, radium Curie found out,

kept in d' table drawers, coat pocket

d' radioactive traces detected there,

after d' demise of d' Nobel laureate

Puppy licks her mom for attention,

dog pets, lick d' face of their boss

only a puppyish habit, no affection

simply spread the harbored virus

psilocybin in magic mushrooms

protects from mental depression

sat few minutes with d' grave guy

felt my ignorance, facts unknown

 

Teacher

A caring, warm, accessible man,

honestly helps d' others to learn

kindergarteners, grownups, old

not ignore even an unread one

Pandemic changed d' education

on line teaching, roll calls done

it appears to be more effective,

assessments on digital platform

Corona to continue, won't vanish,

preventive protocols must be on

in a few minutes, I sincerely felt,

to pursue a student carrier again

 

Friend

Our likes, dislikes, interests match,

never let me down the wrong road

in  good and bad times he pops in,

keenly listens with a sense of humor

Implants a bunch of healthy qualities,

helps reinforce my ability and caliber

shares untold witty memories, relaxes,

facilitates progress for efficient carrier

The mood needs to get lifted high up,

in this pandemic era of depression

a few minutes with my mate matters

to allay misery, turn d' life a heaven