Let Me Sink In To Perpetual Darkness Poem by Ratnakar Rout

While walking down the street
Early in the morning for a walk
At once, I felt darkness everywhere
I still continued to walk through the dark
As if somebody immediately closed my eyes
Or suddenly I developed blindness.

I could not apprehend
What was happening all around?
As if a black curtain was spread
I realized.
My friend and foe
Critic and well wisher
Beauty and ugly
Clean and dirty
Everything good and bad everywhere
Went away from my sight
I was left alone
Horns of the running vehicles
Talks of the pedestrians
Sounds of the bullock cart and cycle rickshaw
Outcry of the drunks
Quarrel of the street dogs
And call of the hawker
Could not scare me further.
I did not bother
Whether they were far off or nearer.

I am safe now
Others see me and sympathize
Or ignore makes no difference
To see others and enliven
I have no interest any more
For me blasting of a mountain
Flowing of rivers
Melting of glacier
Eruption of volcano
Chirping of birds
Itinerant clouds
And garden full of flowers and fruits.
As the world around has plunged into darkness
Moonlit night, snow-clad mountain
And nomadic rain
Everything is same and equal
After darkness everywhere

I am not envious to anybody’s
Power and wealth
I am not upset in anybody’s achievement
I am not prejudiced by anybody’s
Material wealth or worldly success
At this moment
When the world is plunged into darkness
I am blissfully left alone to my fortune
For weeping and shedding the tears in silence.

I am in a serious fix
It is not easy to differentiate
What is what
I am turned almost blind externally
Or unusual darkness reigns over the world
I wander here and there to uncover the truth
And have contentment.

Doctors opine the disease incurable
When dark continues to reign as it is
Can one dispel blindness at this stage?
I am in fix to know
Dark or light
Which one is benevolent?
As light is hurting me gravely
Let me sink into perpetual darkness
To know who am I?