Digging !

I am running out of ideas. May be I am not looking around enough or it is just that the volume of work is finally catching up with the amount of time. Whatever the reason, I have decided to dig deep and disinter something. So here is one I wrote way back when I was still a raw young man (As opposed to raw middle aged man now !)

And now I am dead

It has been a long time
since I had seen the world outside,
I am a man - sick, old and frail;
about to leave behind a final trail.

I have learnt a lot in the past few days,
came to know my own people in different ways.
It’s strange to know the world’s true hue,
just when you are ready to bid adieu.

Here comes my wife, wailing and weeping;
she has been for long a loyal companion,
understanding and caring, at times indifferent.
But why is she crying at this hour of the night?

There stand my progeny, all looking sad,
they had a parent, strict and critical,
I wanted them to be like me,
I was a complete failure, now as I see.

Now I see a lot of neighbors around,
people who never cared to give me a second look;
they are moving as if I were not there.
Talking to my wife, avoiding my stare.

I wanted to tell the crowd to go away
and leave me alone as I lay.
I tried to shout from my friendly bed,
it was little tough, for I was long dead.

Niren - 1994