HE CAME EMPTY HANDED

POEM

He came alone empty-handed

we were seeing him

the first time in our life.

Our hospitality seemed

touching and enthralling to him.

The innocence in his

eyes reminded a transparent

pond reflecting the transparent

clear blue sky up above.

It looked like he had

come to our home with

a determination to stay 

with us as if the home was his also.

It was a treat to us  to watch his movements.

We served him nutritious

food  in the days to come

to ensure his happiness and satisfaction.

With the leap-frogging of the

days, the aged ones breathed their last.

The occasional  deaths of  the aged persons

seized our happiness intermittently.

Like us weeping in remembrance of

our elders he too shared our sorrow

by shedding  tears down his cheeks

since he had already

become one among us.

He emerged  out in flying colours

in each examination

-until he completed higher studies.

He fell in love with a pretty lass

while he was doing higher studies

and with the blessings of elders

he tied the nuptial knot

and exchanged garlands and wedding rings

the ceremony ended on a happy note.

In their married life

his wife  delivered

two children, one a baby boy

and the other a  baby girl.

With almost all elders

bidding farewell and 

their souls flew out

to their heavenly abode 

solitude like a curse 

encroached the line

prohibiting not to cross the line

from entering the home

the silence of the graveyard overpowered

even the rare opportunities

they wished to celebrate.

Both he and she got aged

and she was the first to

bid farewell to all.

That was a severe shock to him

And even though the

children  wanted to make him happy

and cheerful

but to no avail.

Depression dragged him  graduall]y

and he too followed 

in to her foot steps 

and one day he also went

empty handed…….