My Nobel Prize Poem by Dr. Bishnupada Sethi

On several occasions
When I would meet
My nonagenarian father
In the village
On my visits there,
He would point out
To an old trunk lying in the room.
He would take out an old bundle
Of his documents
Detailing his hard earned wealth
Asking me to take those along.
I could see his discomfort,
As if he was carrying a burden-
He had been longing to hand over.

When he found me not listening
And avoiding the topic
On some pretext or another
One day he decided-
Transferred all his assets
In my name.
Sighing a great sense of relief
He came to me,
Asked me to handle the papers and
Whatever he had as his, henceforth.

Stunned, I was
Looking at his cool face!
He was beaming with certain joy,
He looked detached from the world.
Now, onward
He became penniless;
No asset was there
In his name whatsoever.

I was aware of his tedious struggle-
For decades he was running
From one court to another
Fighting legal battles
Toiling hard for earning.
How did he decide to transfer
Whatever he'd acquired
With all his sweat and blood.

He is not ignorant too
The sufferings
Old people are undergoing,
Fighting legal wars
Against their children
On filial duties
For food, housing
Medicine and clothing.

It had been ages before-
The children of this great country sang
'May you be one for whom his mother is a Deva;
May you be one for whom his father is a Deva'.
It was to glorify-
Who gave birth
Endured great pain
In bringing us up.
Spiritual masters accepted
Higher position of a butcher
Who took care of the old parents.

Getting tempted I asked my father-
'You became a pauper today
Now there's nothing in your name.
What if I failed in my duty to take your care,
Does this not bother you? '

Pausing for a while
With a broad smile on his face-
A quick reply he gave
'If anyone has a son like you
Such thought would never occur'

So valued were his golden words
My eyes got moist
In my moments of gratitude
As his blessings rained from above.
'Worth a million dollars
No less than a Nobel prize
You received that moment'
Remarked an old friend.

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