The Sting Of Conscience Poem by Mahmoodul Haque Sayed

Others may look forward
to take their retirement, enjoy
their lives as they wish, but

I am looking forward
to another twenty years
for working and progress

No house to spend the summers
from april to november
where can I spent the winters?

More than twenty-five years gone by - friends
who joined government offices
started business or joined in politics

They've already made their fortunes:
good houses, cars, luxuries
bank balances - for me nothing yet.

Still working in a private company.
Like my late father the bureaucratic job
I left on the questions of morality

People keep telling me, it is time to retire
taking rest, travelling to europe for pleasure,
sight seeing - but my conscience

Reminds me to think twice
of my sober wife. Where can I find
a little roof over her head?

How can I think of my retirement
or peaceful departure from this
grim and selfish earth?