Mallikarjun Mansur Poem by Ashok Vajpeyi

Setting his own pace
Mallikarjun Mansur comes in
late
and marches ahead of time

ahead of a time
that's filled with confusions, riddled with wounds
that's growing more and more inconsequential,
a time that trails him
grovelling
destitute and crippled
begging for alms with outspread hands -
panting

Mallikarjun Mansur
advanced in years but standing tall
leans over
death
keeps a hand on its shoulder
stops and lights a beedi
then starts walking once more towards some new destination

his saintly hands take nothing for themselves
they only give wherever they go
and so he sings his way through the wide world
if god
came this way
he would not be able
to tell himself from Mallikarjun Mansur