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that there’s no intrigue involved
in the untimely death
of ayanapuram koteswara rao—
pointed out investigations
if it’s proper for him to die
in room no: 13
on the third floor
of a deluxe hotel
is but debatable
you may consider it
a dereliction of duty
if yours most obediently, koteswara rao
a clerk, died while on official duty
you may say he might’ve died
when his most obedient heart
rebelled and refused
to tick as it had to negotiate three floors
(the man is vary of the lift
he never wished for one in his career) .
whatever, the fact is
koteswar rao died
the proof is not doctor’s verdict
but that he didn’t stand up
in obedience
when the manager visited
his personal details aren’t threatening
his father was a clerk
his grand father too was one
their family is a thorough fare
to tradition of obedience
and respectable impoverishment
his is a family
of six children, an old mother
a lean hungry cat
and a haggard wife
his rented house is two and half rooms
a television sized bathroom
and an attic
though not a communist
he wears red shirts
though not a surrealist
walks through by lanes
though not a yogi
laughs in the middle of his walk
and even mumbles
though not a poet
he keeps looking at the sky
like a dumb fellow
every month he sincerely clears
milk loan and provisions loan
to the last paisa
hence during the last week of every month
he and his wife starve
he sometimes goes to harikatha
or a street play
has no knowledge of vd
nor knows how to smoke a bidi
once a year he goes to pictures
stands obediently at the end of the queue
he’s not a member
of a political or literary or social group
at the time of elections
he votes for the one
his officer decides
every saturday
he prays to god’s photos
and eats pieces of
sugar crystals as prasaad
never takes bribes
never abuses
never bothers when abused
a sincere man of morals
a man of piety
but—the day before his death
he met kanakayya, his friend
and asked:
“what’s the meaning of comfort?
how doest it look,
and where is it available? ”
the questions are a blotch on his life
god bless him!
he died before
the doubts loomed large
*original in telugu by balagangadhar tilak
indira babbellapati
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