Charity, Heart More Than Head
O to give from ifs and buts free,
To feel happy, pleased just to give,
Feel good that gift is well taken
And that, receiver too feels good,
Charity’s not to show who’s tall,
Give as, to gift is good nature.
It is flowers’ innate nature
To flaunt fragrance and spread it free,
For ego’s sake nor to feel tall,
They give till too wilted to give,
By birth bestowed with this trait good,
Happy, their fragrance is taken.
Lamps like, its light’s lead is taken,
It is the lamp’s born-with nature—
To smoulder till they are no good
To do so, they wish light’s spread free,
For, lamps are born their light to give,
And care to feel good nor yet tall.
A cloud never shows stature tall,
Has always given, scarce taken,
Born with a benign bent, it’d give,
To rain, drain its inborn nature,
Its virtue’s to give, and give free,
It loves to find earth green and good.
Man condescends to give, feel good,
To show off his pedestal tall,
Seldom is his charity free,
Weighs: what in return be taken,
Give so as to take— his nature,
Born is he more to get than give.
Birds be or beasts, their best they give,
Not for any altruistic good,
Because that’s their innate nature,
Not to show off their stature tall,
Yon of things given and taken,
Birds be from all worldly ways free.
Alas, head rules and heart’s not free
To decide, head all commands give
In this world by head be-taken.
____________________________________
Sestina | 01.08.2006, revised Feb 2023 | charity, heart
Poet’s note: Sheer instinct makes birds and beasts look after their newly born without expecting anything in return. But we as humans look forward to our children reciprocating when we are old, not do things in altruism. Why? Because man is being increasingly ruled by head, not heart, this Sestina feels.
Copyright © Aniruddha Pathak | Year Posted 2023
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