My bosom is burdened For days and nights countless With aches and pains; Suppressed sighs and sobs Rise and sound As if someone Is beating the muffled drums Constantly.
A single smooth sweep, Six years ago, Dazzled me with the illusion Of happiness and freedom, Yearning of the ages!
It took away my all Leaving me to lament And hear the most tormenting Moans and laments Of my finest kids. Those who were dearest ever Were in fact the worst. Their fa'ade of virtue and loving care, Torn into shreds shorn Into a stunning shock- Irreconcilable !
The whole past of decades Lay bare with graves of memories Dug on the ruins Of my labor, love and simple faith.
God be thanked! My healthy thoughts, healthy outlook And healthy laugh Remained my only strength and solace That humbled the times And kept the prey upbeat.
It always annoyed The silent and loving conspirators Who today are calm After the deed.
I sift the weeds And tread barefooted The stubble fields.
No need to look behind As the past is showing itself In its shameless nakedness. What remains Amidst the dumb laments, Silent sighs and soundless cries Crowding my days and nights, Is again to manage and live the best- Not for myself, But for my daughters, Sheenam and Geetika, Whose glow and bloom Faded and died out In marital happiness Five years ago To the jubilations Of the ever-dearest!
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My wife remained A physical and mental wreck; She wrecked my peace and happiness But she could not wreck The meaning and purpose, Beauty and bliss, Duty and obligations Of my life Loaded with Commitments. Amy strength and cheer, My personal tastes and graces, My honesty and faith Sternly viewed and challenged, The trials were cruel. Of course the world behaves like that. With everybody.
I failed the foes For, for a moment even, I neither escaped nor ran- Defeated enemies. And foes fretted with peace Are more dangerous And their sheepish cheeks Smile and salute To swindle us In success and happiness.
But life always looks up With those Who dare and live. So did I enjoy This blessing With grudges gone And sores solaced.
Today I am proud to pursue My tastes and graces with cheer! Life was never allowed To be a liability. It is an asset To be valued and guarded With scrupulous care.
