Poets Hands Are Tied

At a nearby butcher shop hens cramped up in a small cage with barely space to move I felt like shouting "If I do this to you?" Husband stopped me. He has job to do He can't build a farm for them A poet's hands are tied I wish I could go beyond writing In Bangalore zoo birds in cages Animal in big jails all caged since birth Hippopotamus in stagnant water All enjoying, no one feeling their agony I felt their pain, Their desire for freedom Felt like shouting "If I do this to you?" My son stopped me A poet's hands are tied I wished I could go beyond writing Saw people dumping metal can in water at beach Felt like shouting, "If I do this to your house? Ever thought about aquatic animals?" Family stops me A poet's hands are tied I wish I could go beyond writing Environmentalist giving speech Using plastic water bottle, leather purse and private car Merely talking not acting Felt like shouting "Practice what you preach" I merely get up and walk off A poet's hands are tied I wish I could go beyond writing A poet is emphatic to agony that abounds A nature lover, feels for the depleting surrounds His analytical mind questions everything around I wish poets hands were not bound I wish poets did something beyond writing We poets should start an organisation And work towards betterment of every ill around We are the most empathetic people around 09.06.2021 For Kai Michael Neumann, The Poet's Hands Are Tied