Agony, a Long Journey

A weary way-fairer all lost in wood One dark night fending for food fell in well— Unused and dry— it left him fate to brood, But clutched on still to Banyan roots that fell Into well, half awake hanging midway, Spending the whole night praying for a ray Of hope, precariously suspended; And dreamt he was lifted out, not yet dead. In trying times, as sole lifelines from blue, He wondered: what man would without dreams do. Never in life had he dreamt for dawn more, Which when came, came to spell disaster— There growled at the well's mouth a mighty tiger, Greedy that stared, hunger writ all over; His only chance now was to go deep down, Hanging for life, letting the danger go, But no, he heard a python hissing— brown And big, tongue twirling, ready to swallow, Lifeline-like roots beginning to give in, When destiny frowns, one’s luck too gets lean! But when his faint vision began to blur, And tired brain lost of starch to think, He felt a cooling, sticky little stir, Dripping from nose to lips, slowly to slink Down to his mouth; but how, how can it be? A few drops of heavenly sent honey! Above, he saw a bear seated aplomb A tree, grabbing on to a honey comb! Maybe, his grave fears on fate were not fair, Life after all has fair for all to spare. Well, waiting he was his life’s dawn to be, Hoping, those hungry mouths would go away, Waiting now for a few drops of honey— What looked like an eon— that half night's play! And it dawned to him: life nigh like that is— No more than just a few licks to relish With hitches, glitches, catches everywhere, And yet, freedom still smiles, to us that tells: In life, plights come with pleasure, how so bare, Wisdom's to weigh: how long to wait in wells! _________________________________________ This poem is allegorical on life's long journey, which by and large littered is with agony, with a few drops of honey thrown in by destiny here and there. Man lives amid hopes of better times. Reflections | 03.01.12 |