The Seclusion Poem by ABHIJIT BASU

Have you ever been all alone with no reason?
Staying in a house which seems like a prison?

No one around you except a soundless solitude,
People do not mind if you are departed or alive,
You see the four walls and the ceiling of your room,
There seems no change for years and the same colour gloom,
You feel the pain inside your chest which remained doom,

It was her ninetieth birthday and no celebration,
She doesn't have anyone around her for conversation,
She was alone and lonely and doesn't know what to do,
She sat with her computer and thought what can be done,
She had no idea where to start and where to end,
May be something she can share on face book,
She has thousand connections in there to look,

She thought what she can share and stare on the clock,
It is two in the night and there is no one to talk,
Still she writes on her wall, Hello everyone, Good Morning,
She went to the bed thinking people will like her greeting,
She waited all night to pass nearly sitting,
She dozed at around six in the morning,
Got up at the break of day and fresh-up,
First thing she did was to reboot her laptop,
And to her utmost utter disgust of all,
She found not a single like on her face book wall,

There was so much in her life to share which was put to rest,
She thought that things were put to rest for the best,
Nobody wants to know her feelings and care any more,
Everybody is preoccupied with their self achievements and score,
They have no time to devote for their old folk,
They are afraid if they rest they will fail and choke,
Failing is a word everybody hates,
You will be called a looser among your mates,

Everyone is busy and if she calls them they become infuriate,
Her phone seldom ring, no one calls to know her state,
Once a while she gets call from marketing men,
She shines with joy, laugh with them and talk in length,
Knowing she has nothing to lose and nothing to gain,
She was a topper in psychology with high education,
She sacrificed her career for her only son,
She taught him how to become a man and not a human,
She devoted her life without thinking of any return,

She closed her eyes thinking it is nice,
That her husband is not there to see her plight,
Her hubby always praised her in her towering and tide,
He always stared at her with love and passion and praised her wit,
After he had gone she seldom looks in the mirror and drift,
And if ever by chance she views the mirror,
She finds some stranger staring at her with horror,
With wrinkled face, fragile skinny body bending like bow,
She cried, Oh God! What you have done to me you don't know,
I am stranger to my soul, my eyes and my psyche to the core,

Never in her dreams had she thought it can happen to her,
She will be old and useless abandoned by her beloved ones,
Till the time she was useful and dynamic, people praised her,
Friends called her smart and intelligent and respected her,
Now when she had failed in her life and become old,
Cannot take care of her son's children and their toll,
Her life has taken a new fold and one day she was told,
To walk out of her house and to be dumped in an old age home,
Where they throw away all old unwanted souls,
She is still happy that her son is putting her in a place,
Where all the weird souls with same fate will stay together,
Sharing the tales and wipe each others tears,
No one will boss them or order to fear,
Perhaps his son may come once a while to meet her there,

Life is small she thought and prayed God,
You have given me this kind of ending yet I am blissful,
Please pardon my son for his sins since he is a fool,
Let him not face the same consequence or else he will drool,
It is pathetic to complain for my days are scanty,
Age had taken me to the brim of weakness since I am ninety,
There may be something wrong in me,
I was not able to adjust in the new world and breathe,
The world had changed and I remained static,
I forget I am useless not able to move or walk without stick,

She directed the Old Age Home Warden,
Once I am gone, ask the people around not to bemoan,
Engrave on my tomb that this lady lived her life and never kneel,
It was the power of her husband that made her strong and chill,
She desired to live her life for long, showing everyone that she can,
She was strong and not helpless, she was alone but not depress,
She had chosen how to lead her life and died fearless,

It is sad that seclusion and isolation,
Creates a life which is full of agony,
Most of the elderly people are been left by their children,
Unaware of their own fate which is now hidden,
Shame on this society, which shun her and now when she is gone,
Teach your children to adore their parents, and take care of them,
Or else remember this can happen to you since life is no different,
Life rotates in a circle and who knows the fate,
Thus imbibe in them the fact before it's too late,
If it can happen to their parents, it can happen to them,
It is same destiny, same rule and the same game,
Give no chance to yourself, when you have to quest,

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ALL ALONE WITH NO REASON?
STAYING IN A HOUSE WHICH SEEMS LIKE A PRISON?

By Abhijit Basu