A Lunch Box That Lost Innocence Poem by Aniruddha Pathak

A Lunch Box That Lost Innocence



This vestige, blotch of a by-gone era,
Alive still as a wayside Tiffin House,
A common most companion of many,
Gotten of late it has people's odd grouse.

Once a blue-collared Brit, now brown man's treat
Much like many a colonial cousin,
Tiffin box, a fully subscribed lunch-speak,
Born a noun, now an adjective no mean!

Of modest make or stainless steel case—
A box— lid secured with straps either side,
That food retains its flavours, unique face,
Each box ah bolstered like a maid of bride.

Comes when lunch time for myriads of keen maws,
Bringing together men, many a shade—
A spectrum nigh—community, caste, creed,
Men of heart, but many a varied head!

A bearer now of a blood-seeking bomb,
This do-no-wrong box has gone sinister,
Carried on cycles, scooters with aplomb,
Ah carrier of a waiting disaster!

A friend it once was of a famished maw,
But now terror's foul face, unwitting friend,
Bearer of blasts, disguised as friend, but foe,
A forget-me-not help gone out of hand!

One, that came to town crested with a crown,
That has a name its own brought badly down.
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Wednesday last week, now known as 13/7, added one more ominous ring to its cousin 11/7 a few years back when explosives went off in seven local trains in Mumbai. The 26/11 is still fresh in our memory. A friend of millions, Tiffin box has in this last case turned into an instrument of terror. Terror has snatched many innocent things from life— even children of tender age that become live carriers. Alas, a plane Tiffin box has now lost her innocence for ever. Would it ever walk tall?
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Happenings | 07.07.11 |

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Akhtar Jawad 23 March 2019

We had been an innocent lunch box but when terror used us as an explosive for the purpose of killing innocent persons, our innocence has become a crime.

1 0 Reply
Aniruddha Pathak 24 March 2019

Very true, Akhtar Jawad. Thank you for visiting this old poem.

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Edward Kofi Louis 04 March 2019

A by_gone era! ! ! ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

0 0 Reply
Aniruddha Pathak 05 March 2019

Yes indeed, a relic of the by-gone era, as you observed. Thank you Edward Louis.

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Aniruddha Pathak

Aniruddha Pathak

Godhra - Gujarat
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