Just Another Father Poem by indira babbellapati

He lived never caring for god
He lived 24x7 serving the suffering
Taught himself to keep awake
Reading a book into the early hours;
What if somebody knocked at the door
In a bout of high fever or pain
In spire of his wife's constant advice
That he should care for other things
He never really tried; even times he tried
He ended up in mess
Enjoyed the company of young neices n nephews
More than the peer group;
Never smoked in elder brother's presence
Though the brother maintained a respectable silence over it
Allowed his daughters to make their choices in life
But in later years regretted that
They too are like him not belonging
To the here n now but his
Impractical idealism rubbed off on them...

Ah, can such a person ever be ignored
In today's world of cut throat competition?

During his last months
His lips were always found
Mumbling prayers in the way
He himself knew for he knew
Neither the scriptures nor the rituals...