Tragedy Of The Country Poem by arvind shah

My Weekend Poems #6

Tragedy of the Century
When Death Lost Dignify!
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Sorry, I am sorry - very sorry
seek apology - beseech apology - implore apology
beg - pray: apologise, please apologise.

You had surrendered your holy possession
the life in your body, soul to liberate
keeping the trust in me
to have your corpse just for a funeral.

You were kind and considerate
with ever welling passion for me
to lit and fuel my life -
learning from you: dignity for dead.
But sorry, I am sorry - very sorry

I tried, tried with intensity,
intense intensity, and more intensity
begging, begging and still begging
for a crematorium space to lit your pyre.

Refused - rebuked - scolded, without let
I had to carry you on, on and on
crematorium to crematorium
here, there - there and there
for my duty to lit your pyre.

Sorry, I am sorry - very sorry
for you had died of Corona:
shrouded - body bagged in plastic
and defined: untouchable for funeral
to find no place - no face - no space.

Oh! Father you lie sealed motionless
on the Earth, shrouded facing the Sky
I, zipped in a PPT kit run hither and thither
between the Earth and the Sky
to find a space to make a pyre for you.

I do not lose resolve to lend you dignity
but, Ah! my body, on the run, simmers in my kit
in hot pursuit in the hot scorching summer day
on cold still tracks, wishing to find a crematorium -
but, sorry, I am sorry for my inability to hold.

I shout, I cry, I wail for a pyre
I yell, I scream, I howl for water -
neither for you, my father, I find a pyre
nor do I find a mouthful of water for me

father, you go longing for fire, and I for water.
I know my father, you are exhausted
so am I dehydrated and consumed
even sun is, now to set, to call it a day

Thus, I leave my body to come to you
father, hold me close, very close, quite close.
I was not let, give dignity to your death, Here
I promise - promise, faithfully promise
to lend you dignity There
now I am not sorry, beseech no apology
for I come to you, to escort you, to take care of you.

Please don't lose trust in me, my father
today, on this father's day - Here
I had nothing to wish and say
for, Here, the man is dead, death not to dignify
so, I accompany you, be sure, very sure- There
We will have Father's day together to cheer.

Arvind Shah ©0622
(This poem was written by me on father's day; based on the fact when two sons carrying the corpse of their father died searching a crematorium for the last rites of their father: Jammu)