A Silent Prayer Poem by Unnikrishnan Sivasankara Menon

A Silent Prayer

Rating: 5.0


The room in the rear
A dirty bed
There he lies
Uncared for, unattended.

The chair he used to sit on
Lies abandoned
With broken arms and legs.


The setting sun
Covered his body
In a hurry
With a brand new cloth.

Hard to understand
That he is alive.
A smile dried up on his lips
Skewed face, arched limbs...
His soul hides
In the cage of bones.

In the fag end of his life
Time has rendered him
Ugly, abjectly miserable.

His sons and relatives nearby
Whispered
That he lost his memory
That he may not be able
To call anybody by name
That he may not
open his eyes anymore.

Impatience ruled:
Many left
A few came afresh
They Walked, sat, lay,
yawned.

A movement
A groan,
They prayed,
It should be the last.
He would have done the same
Had he discerned his state.


No!
He is still there
Lying on his dirty bed
As a silent prayer!

Sunday, April 1, 2018
Topic(s) of this poem: sadness
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
Note:
Covering the body (of a deceased person) with a brand new cloth is part of Hindu funeral rites.
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Anil Kumar Panda 02 April 2018

Such a heartfelt drop. Enjoyed each stanza. Thanks for sharing.

4 0 Reply
Unnikrishnan E S 02 April 2018

Thank you Anilji. Obliged. This is a translation of a poem in Malayalam by Mr Satheesan. All the credit is actually due to him. I would convey your words of appreciation to him. Thank you sir. Obliged.

1 0
Srijoni Chakraborty 04 April 2023

Just now I've read your poem sir you've expressed so nicely sir 😊

1 0 Reply

Thank you Srijoni, for your valuable time and for sharing your opinion on the poem.

0 0
Varsha M 01 January 2021

You brought both pain of old age and uncaring services ee give to our old generation. Yhst dirty bed says everything.

1 0 Reply
Unnikrishnan E S 08 January 2022

Yes. The insensitivity of the onlookers is what I wanted to highlight, than the suffering of the old person.

0 0
Sylvia Frances Chan 01 January 2021

THis is very sad poem, but also very informative. Excellently translated and informed.5 Stars! . Now I know a glimpse of the Hindu funeral rites, but satisfied!

1 0 Reply
Unnikrishnan E S 08 January 2022

Thank you for reading the poem and good words

0 0
Rebecca Navarre 12 April 2018

Ah, Sorry! ! ! ! ! Endless 10S! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! +++++

1 0 Reply
Rebecca Navarre 12 April 2018

Ah, Sorry! ! ! ! ! Endless 10S! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! +++++

1 0 Reply
Unnikrishnan Sivasankara Menon

Unnikrishnan Sivasankara Menon

PUTHENCHIRA, KERALA, INDIA
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