Distraught Widow Poem by Ratnakar Rout

He met an accident
While crossing the road to attend a family
Function in his uncle’s house situated
On the other side of the road only at a stone-throwing distance
The parents following him could not save
But to see him desperately coming under a speeding truck
The truck left the spot at the same speed
And the parents carried their unconscious
Child to the hospital was bleeding profusely.
As the condition of the child deteriorated further
And warranted immediate advanced treatment
The local doctor shifted the patient to the district hospital
Preliminary treatment saved the patient
But he needed major surgery.
The civil surgeon advised the parents
Any further delay would cause them the life of the child.
The parents got panic and desperation devastated them
As they are poor wage earners and living on
Their daily wages, thus, penniless
The only child in a distressed condition was shivering
In grueling pain excruciating for any body to bear with
What to speak of the testing patience of the parents
Frantically the child was looking at the parents for help
The father consoled the mother who was weeping relentlessly
And praying for the blessings of the unseen power
To usher extraordinary kindness for spectacular
Recovery of her child.She knew
That unless there is some sort of miracle of the Superpower
The life of the child would not be saved. As
They can not bear the huge expenditure towards his treatment.
The father did not lose his hope
When surgeon handed over him the prescription
And pointed out the tentative expenditure to be incurred for surgery
He had a strong faith on the compassion of people
The perilous condition of the child and his yelling in unbearable pain
Propelled him to move from pillar to post for seeking help
But his entire attempt went in vain. He desperately met
All his known persons and many strangers for financial support
Narrating his owes but the meager amount
He received from a few was not enough?
He cursed himself as a father who is unable to bear
The cost of treatment of his only child
Who is struggling with life in an alarming condition?
And even did not muster courage to reach him
Almost in an empty hand to show his helplessness
The pitiable situation shattered his mental balance
And he preferred to embrace death
Than saw the dying child in the death bed.
The news spread like fire
And the dead body was taken for postpartum
And kept in a place which was only sixty feet away
From the bed of the child who was fighting to survive.
The mother was sitting completely motionless & speechless
Like a statue beside the son
No more tears were rolling down her eyes.
She was almost in a state of blankness
The last hope she had was smashed to smithereens
In one side the struggle of the child for survival
With the lofty hopes on the attempt of his parents,
On the other hand, the cruel hand of destiny
Snatched away his only support
She was in a state of complete despair
And looking at every body almost vulnerable
Who were all present around her to console?
When the chanting of the priest of the nearby temple
Was echoing the most revered Sloka quietly
“na jayate mriyate baa kadachit
nayam bhutwa bhabita baa nabhuyah
ajo nityah shashwatooyam purano
na hanyate hanyamane shareere'