BENEFIT

 

BENEFIT

 

Have ever a spirit faced hunger,

Begged for a morsel of food, staring,

The pain, severe than death etched,

Remind the time scar of the past,

Tears dried long ago, lips parched,

Unruffled matted hair little oily,

The dirty cloth torn at places sadly,

Shame for a life left brutally ago,

Neither faced humiliation nor insult,

His shrunken eyes look at the bystander,

Unmindful of the reaction, extended hand,

Empty palms a few coins he received,

Little reacted, aimlessly focused,

Whom he is calling talking interrupted,

Scolding someone nowhere seen,

Sleeping on the road divider cemented,

Merciless sun blistered his skin,

Failed to recognize the heat seats,

Knew well that people can provide some,

Maybe bread, leftover plates of food,

Some money, mercifully some water,

Rain has arrived pouring rain,

Does not know he may catch a cold,

Soaked to the bone, begging for a sight,

The traffic was thick, passing fast,

Nobody looked at him, squatted,

In the middle of the road, vehicles too,

Speeding past him blaring horn,

Crossing near him less bothered,

Civilization knows the value of time,

Opportunity is missed and never seen in life,

That moment fetched huge benefits,

Mountain of cash gold lot of assets,

Secured life wealth guarantees well,

Magnetic prosperity status face crowd,

They plead for help, beg mercy, obey,

Surrender to whims least bother to act,

Can loot, cheat, make blunders happily,

Wanted favor from the powerful, kneeled,

Give him the order to perform but help,

His son for a job, his wife treated, continues,

He wants a house, acres of land, a shop,

Endless requests touching feet quickly,

Get a bundle of cash promises, of course,

Vanish like thin air all of sudden,

Lock stock and barrel plundered socked,

Touch the feet acquired instantly,

None can challenge men shadowy,

Vanish from visibility mysteriously,

Fear grips lost everything outright,

The law of the land out of reach mockery,

A family of decent having home children,

He once objected to grabbing,

Knocked the door of the court bitterly,

Protested against unseen forces angrily,

He survived lost his family sadly,

The public reacted, consoled him, forgot,

He is changed to an unknown face in the street,

A beggar in the street walking madly,

He knew, lost his home, and family instantly,

Never harmed anyone in life innocent,

Scolding someone looking up angrily,

Passerby ridicule interpret gimmickries,

Everything I know about his neighbor,

Hardly can dare to touch him to help,

Found him senseless on the road,

Called a shelter home, paid dues,

The story didn't end recovered,

Got benefits for those below the poverty line.

 

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Title of Poem: Benefit

Themes: Benefit is a misnomer 

Written: 18th July 2023, Cuttack

@ Copywrite