Thursday 15 August 2019

Poetry 2019 Longlist, Paramjit Paul

AND SHE ASKS…

He turned back unconsciously, the touch so warm,
Only to be besieged in her parched eyes,
Devoid of dreams and desires, he gazes her –
Bony limbs and tattered attire, tell a soulful tale,
Tanned to the core, for the scorching heat never forgives,
And the uncombed rusted hair, condemns her innocent face,
For she walks bare feet through all the changing seasons
Deprived of amenities, she extends her hands and asks…
He stared at her for long, mind full of thoughts,
Looking intently at her ragged outfit, he empathizes
Her existence, a test of survival,
For a harsh and cruel life, unpleasant social practices,
Hatred and misery, awaits this young street dweller;
No mercy to be shown, for not being a noble born,
A taint to the world of the dignified,
For her existence is questioned by all.
A childhood devoured by the shelter-less world,
Turning her refuge into a dark confinement;
And she stretches out her tiny arms,
Apparently reflecting her urge for a morsel,
A crumb of bread, a fragment of affection, something –
Something to enlighten her heart with, an act of humanity,
A reply for all her questions she had ever asked,
An identity she searches for, a question she asks…

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