Count My Blessings Poem by Shankaran Kutty

In a world divided by narrow walls
Of anger, perversion and hate
And the morrow whether be living or dead
For many, a hopeless fate

A most peaceful life you have given thus far
Surrounded by those I love
Like autumn rain that cools the land
Showered from the clouds above
I thank your blessings my lord.

Where people languish in extreme hunger
And struggle to fill their plate
With a basic meal, few morsels of rice
No balanced meal they ever ate

You have never left me to suffer thus
Not known hunger any day
The tastiest foods my heart desires
Have always come my way
I thank your blessings my Lord.

Millions don’t get to see a school
Or learn to read and write.
For them education is nothing but
A colourful dream, not a basic right

You made me rich with knowledge
Realize my childhood dream
And helped me then attain
A career, crème-dela-crème
I thank your blessings my Lord

Children die by the thousands
Of diseases no one is aware
Without medicines or treatment
And not a soul to care

When as a child a fever
Gave my parents a fright
I remember how they took care
Sleepless, through the night
I thank your blessings my Lord

We find so many on the streets
Without their hands or leg
Forced to eke their living
On the streets, they beg

You gave me both my hands
And legs, a healthy mind
And skills as good as any
Amongst my friends I find
I thank your blessings, my Lord.

While walking down to the temple
I saw a sight to despair
A naked toddler by the roadside
Orphan, with no soul to care

I thought then of my childhood
The love my parents did shower
Pampering me like a rose bud
Waiting to bloom into a flower
I thank your blessings, my Lord.

Couples who are childless
By Your design than by their choice
Who yearn for a child’s love tender
To see them smile, play with their toys

You gave me two little princesses
Who lighten my every day
In life ‘s paths, dark and scary
Their love shows me the way
I thank your blessings my Lord.

Those people born deaf and dumb
Or never had a spark in their eyes.
Some are third gender, many abused or raped
With no one to hear their cries.

But you made me not one of them
Helped me beat the odds.
This could not have been, but
For the blessings from my Gods
I thank your blessings my Lord.

Yet every day I whine
More thankless than a swine
When the tea is cold, I stare
In a traffic jam, I swear
Sweat when the power goes off
And walk a mile, I cough
Get angry when the food is late
For thirty minutes can’t wait
For life’s tiniest sorrow
I crib like there is no tomorrow
The ups and downs in life
With my parents, kids or wife
I fail to take in my stride
And have them by my side
The joy of success and failure’s tears
Ego driven life’s unnecessary fears
Why do I get swayed by all this my Lord
In the path you have shown haven’t I trod

Give me the strength, Lord, each and every day
And the righteous route, won’t you light up the way
The strength to be brave, brave to be true
With compassion and kindness added in too
You have given me all, blessed am I
For more from you, I won’t cry
My targets in life I will definitely meet
Success and failures both equally treat
My parents, kids, friends and wife
Daily food, and healthy life
The ability to walk, the opportunity to drive
Quite simply the fact you have kept me alive
To be able to see, talk, feel and hear
People to make me smile and wipe my tear
Those who stand by me and my works inspire
How you have fulfilled my every desire
All these and more in my daily strife
My Lord I will count as your blessings in my life