Sometimes some ordinary experiences give birth to astonishing ideas and expressions. Something similar happened with me about a month ago. While walking home in the evening, I saw two feeble dogs lazily chewing on something that looked like a non-juicy bone. The same day in the morning, I had read in the paper all kinds of negativity—deaths, corruption, black marketeering in medicines, political drama, and what not. Luckily, just before I reached our apartment building, I saw something interesting on the roadside—a tiny plant with shiny, dark green leaves on the upper surface and light green underneath. The sight just stopped the world for me for a few moments. Upon returning home, I scribbled a note, as is my wont. I sent it to my Guru Dr Sudhakar Marathe. He suggested a few additions and modifications. In fact that transformed my garbled “note” into a “poem”, something that I can dare share. 😉

Please read my 26-line poem below. I don’t think it will take more than 2 minutes to read it.

Do please write your comments in the comment box. You might like to recite the poem in your own words.

Best wishes,

Dharmendra

Down the Pandemonic Road

Two dogs gnawing
on the same marrowless bone,
not fighting, growlless…
death of their doghood, dignity.

Rotting carcasses scattered about—
human emotions and what matters;
vultures feeding in the muck heaps
on the offal of human corruption.

Chaos reigns supreme in mind
asynchronous, inexplicit, disquieting,
suggesting man’s senile decrepitude.

Is his punishment
beyond the grave?
Will trees bear fruit again?
Will anyone listen to questions again?
Will there ever be answers again?

A little ahead
From within a heap of dead leaves
emerges a new growth
cracking the earth with all its might…
a slap in the face
of widespread apathy.

Faith restored
Sanity returned
Strength regained
Hope renewed.

Dharmendra Sheth June 2021

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