DESERT LIFE

POEM

Bereft of ideas

he wandered around 

sometimes hitting his head

sometimes hitting the wind

or gritting teeth.

Despite all his attempts

thinking even from different angles

though aware of the subject

ideas blessed him not.

Someone in him whispered in his ears

thus he felt

to pen a beautiful poem.

First came to his mind

a sprawling beautiful garden

full of a variety of pretty flowers

and their fragrance

spreading all around in the cool breeze

of the morning with dew drops

dripping from the petals of flowers

and the beetles kissing

and sucking the honey from their lips.

The next moment

someone in him reminded

of several poems he had penned

touching the garden,

beautiful flowers,

and fragrance.

He dropped the thought 

of garden,

flowers and the fragrance

blowing all around in the cool breeze

of the misty morning.

Then his imagination took wings

and the picture of two

lovers came to his mind,

their exchange of glances,

smiles, each of them planting kisses

with their passions rising high

and the first love-making

which lifted them to heaven.

But the next moment

someone in him reminded

‘you have already

penned the stories of

lovers and love-birds’.

Pondering over a new theme

he roamed around

and the picture of a vast desert

under fire-spitting sun entered his mind 

with only  one person

walking aimlessly

and with thirst, tired and

exhausted he was

for want of a water-spring.

With no one around

to plead for at least 

mouthful of water

to wet his dry lips and dry mouth

and empty stomach to regain

the vigour and strength.

No god blessed him

and he felt unconscious

in the  searing heat.

On thinking of the new theme

he said to himself :

‘in these times

mankind’s life on

the earth as a whole

is somewhat like

living in a desert

with love, peace, harmony

and all virtues

disappearing somewhere.’  

The someone in him

went silent………

A sign of approval…?