THE OLD MAN

The old man died yesterday.
Relatives, neighbours and
old friends came to his home
spent some time, talked
to his kith and kin
and then left to their
abodes.
In the sunset years of
his life
the old man led a vegetable
existence
bed-ridden throughout.
A breathing skeleton
blank eyes conveyed empty
messages
mouth kept shut
his wife, children and
grand children once in a
while
reached by his side
attended to his unsaid needs
their looks indifferent
neither did he open his mouth
eyes often dry.
Whether he heard what
they asked him, talked
to him
his was a vegetable existence.
Somebody in the house
often played music by his
side
it flowed outside the house
to the delight of neighbours.
Bed-ridden for years
a vegetable existence
a breathing skeleton
the old man died yesterday
but none was there to
shed tears.
The graveyard silence of one
day gone by.
Today music started flowing
outside
the voices of children playing pranks
on each other
elders talking, neighbours
started visiting once in a while
life following its normal
course once again.