Theme: Empathy

Displacement

A snake came out

Of the hole

Of the electric pole

In a locality of Mumbai's suburb,

Of the Thane rivulet,



I was walking home from school

With mother, and she was about

To stamp on the snake, a big one

Taking shelter in a hollow Daddy!



Yesterday too, yes Daddy, I am telling you the truth

He was there yesterday too!

He is still there!



Peering out his head that was only visible

And then he disappeared like a tortoise head!



Yes Daddy! Perhaps he was searching for a place

In the shrinking habitat, I added,



Surprised perhaps to see

So many legs and wheels moving around,

In the midst of so much noise and crowd

He is left alone by the devouring metropolis!



Perhaps he was hungry, I told Mama and she was angry

Or perhaps she was scared of me -

He sprang and struck me while I was giving him food, she must have imagined.



And today we avoided the pole

And walked on the other side of the road.



But she thinks in her own way about the snake.

In her simple imagination, the snake came in search of food

And I find a parallel:

As we silently slide our existence out of our native lands

To unknown destinations!

20-Nov-2013

More By  : Prof. Dr. Anil K. Prasad

Views: 1388     Comments: 0


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