Life! Poem by Alex Koonthanam

Life, heartless destiny's chessboard
Where it creates the king and clown
Where it reigns as sovereign Lord
Lifting you up and tumbling me down!

In silence I bewail the bygone days
When not a speck my horizon
Darken did, nor ominous tempests
Threatened to wipe the shining sun.

Now, life's turbulent day half past
My restless soul asks, whence come I
Or whither I trudge on when the last
Ounce of energy still lingers by.

Whence I come, whither I journey
Makes little difference; mine goal
One and only remain to be
Keep untainted my stainless soul!

Of significant mundane worth
My empty hands nothing possess;
Among the mighty of the earth
Sure, mine name shall be judged worthless!

I have not conquered any height
Nor won any battle well fought!
Nor primed in a race, raised heavy weight
Nor any glorious trophy got.

Just an unknown life mine shall be
I leave not behind any trace
To benefit humanity
Of my tough storm-beaten life's race.

But the judge of a juster world
Justly measure my strife, I fain
For he well know the high price paid
As painful inches I struggled to gain.

And when death's mercy shall liberate me
Free as a bird my soul'll flee away
From this world of woe and misery
And rest its wings on heav'ly bay!

Alex