MAN IN THE MIRROR

MAN IN THE MIRROR

I once looked in the mirror,
Exquisite frame studded with gold,
Last time I saw, I was twenty four,
Now, I am 60 years old.

A worn-out languid figure
Gazed back at me,
Shriveled face with no vigour,
I was dubious of his identity.

Who was it in the mirror?
Frail, senile and ugly,
Then, to my utter horror,
His familiar countenance told me, it was me.

The figure stared at me contemptuously,
“You are hideous goon unlike your other peers,
Estranged from your own affable family,
Now, for you, there’s none to shed tears”.

“For money, you stooped low,
Aloof from the family you had been,
That you didn’t even know
Your son had turned eighteen”.

I retort, “I have wealth,
On nutritious food, I feed,
Great physique and good health,
Isn’t it all an old man need?”

“Can wealth buy love you robbed of family?
Or trade with your erstwhile youth?
Can it afford laughter of glee?
Or replace your fallen tooth?”

Queer figure continued, “Life is a playful park
To be with your family, to fill the gap,
Waking together in the morn, retreating in the dark,
To see your kid take his first baby-step”.

I with much plight realize then,
Children eschewed me, so did my wife,
Having all treasures and monetary gain,
Yet, I had lost so much in life!

Karma Thukten
13th July, 2011

THE BIRTH OF A CURSED PRINCE

BIRTH OF A CURSED PRINCE

6th May, 1986 was special,
It was a historic milestone,
With eccentric ways the nature celebrated
The birth of a Royal son.

Heaven drizzled tears of delectation
Filling up earthly crevices and rut
Footing to the tunes of patter,
Hail! The lineage of Royal blood.

Birds chirped and dandelions swarm aloft,
Fun galore for youths and teens,
Earth was never ‘ere blessed
With the birth of a majestic prince.

Folks flaunted of their age long lore,
Wine in a glass filled to the hilt,
Hopeful citizens sang praises
Congregating from near and far afield.


Every nooks of the county were lit
By dazzling luminescent beams of fiery flame,
O! This was the day citizens were waiting for,
A venerable prince, the kingdom’s helm.

There was joyance on the ground,
There was ecstasy in the mist
Along the bonfires did the folks dance
Merrily they drank and merrily they kissed.

In the heaven, there was a feast
On that very occasion,
Angels, fairies and god
Commemorated the day the prince was born.

White bearded God made a toast,
“To the success of our long dreamt dream,
To the prince we sent beneath,
Finally, from the heaven, we got rid of him!”

Karma Thukten
1st of July, 2011