A Dying Flower Poem by Rajesh G Pandharpurkar

Is he the son of my love;
Or is he the sin of my love?

Tell me, ye Gods!
Who’s he?

How can you say anything?
For you are too busy;
Writing the destinies of us mortals!

But I can swear that he’s mine!
My own flower, cultivated from the garden
Of meticulous care, patience and pain.

Those laborious long months of nine,
Saw me got through a lot of pain;
But I overcame the hurdle with perseverance.

And now when the flower has finally blossomed,
You are all set to destroy it! !

Answer me God!
How could you it?

What harm has this little child brought upon you?
The child, who didn’t even open his lotus like eyes,
To acquire the knowledge of conscience!
The child, innocent enough to be unaware of virtue and vice!

“YOU”, whom people think have a ocean like heart,
Would you let the child fade away just like that?
Won’t you at least let him feel the warmth of maternity?

Or would you rather let him be perpetuated
By the long arms of eternity?

--Rajesh G Pandharpurkar
© RGP Creations


[1996]