Happy I Am As I Am Poem by Aniruddha Pathak

Haply playing flute on a river bank,
He hardly saw the king's man approaching,
Even closer as he came showing rank:
Here, brought have we a message from the king.

Among the fated few ye shall soon be,
O sire, as kingdom's adviser in prime,
With highest honours of the royalty,
We've come to invite; let's be there in time.

Emotions showing least, never did he
Stop playing, nor was a tune off its time,
The notes floated as ripples on calm sea,
Message repeating, same sounded the chime.

Seated was he on a small slab of stone,
His music getting over, he began
Feeding the fish with care motherly known,
Then said like a suddenly woke up man:

Do see that turtle in a shallow pit,
How happy he's amidst what's even mud!
All of joy, worried not even one bit,
Innocent he looks to me like young bud.

He never tries to be what he is not,
Nor be one up with rivals, no false air.
Think of that gem-studded tortoise king's got
At royal court— for years it has been there.

You know, the king shows of that mark of old.
Tell now this live turtle to come to court,
Tempt to gild him with precious stones and gold,
Tell: all will marvel at him at the fort.

Tell me then, to what would he want to cling—
To get gilded in gold, or live as he's,
He'd rather be his own sovereign king,
Care free to roam, do what his heart pleases.

Even a turtle knows, knows every beast—
What's good for him, what's not, I should no less,
O to plunge unto hot waters the least,
And barter bliss for royal strife and stress.

Look at the banks of these happy waters,
Look at the trees swaying in happy breeze,
Look too at those fish-feasting sea otters,
As happy all as every free life is.

The joys of gazing at them from this stone,
Doubt I'd ever get on a royal chair.
As Lao Tzu's worthy disciple, known
He was in China for spiritual flair.

Maddened by raw might power always feels right,
Always keen to grab, ever more to have,
Power cries: give me, give me till goes to grave;
Trusted the least it gains girth, loses height.

Power's not like an early dawn's purest dew,
Ye shall have joy or power, God did once say,
The twain can't on a common axis sway,
Power tends to void every humane virtue.

Man's prone to pride atop a tall tower,
And more so still if chaired in Stately power.
Say thanks to king, I feel happy as am,
I know nothing of his royal emblem.
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Musings | 02.07.12 |
Topic: happiness, power