Inferno Poem by Durlabh Singh

INFERNO.


Beside a lonely hamlet a dog is barking, chained to a post in a barren field. It is an evening time. The sky is red, strewn with streaks of blood of the dying day. The dog lets out a howl, born out of despair and futility of his life.

He hates his owner for enslaving him. He hates the flesh, which he has to devour each day to appease his hunger. He hates killings of other creatures to satisfy his lust for flesh, only just to perpetuate his existence. He hates his futile barking all day along.

A dark wind rose within his bowls and slowly winded up his belly like a python; crushing his entrails, passing through his heart and reaching his throat. He lets out another howl of anguish. The sound reverberated among the hills and other small creatures shared that anguish.

He was beyond hope from human kind. Beyond his bestial nature, he longed for some sort of comfort, for a little warmth.He searched for small kindness or tenderness but alas he could not find any. Tears began to roll down from his muddy eyes across his cheeks. He prayed to divinity for his release, for some light relief in order to give some meaning to his wretched existence.

Crying, exhausted, he fell asleep.

In his sleep he felt that divinity have touched him but he could not comprehend it fully. It was too complex for his canine brain.