Admonition Poem by Ratnakar Rout

The newly wedded couple while
Coming back from the weekly
Hat by a motorbike through
The dense jungle got horrified
Seeing a dozen of leopard like
Creatures were lying on the road.
They had no option left
But were forced to stop there
And encounter the situation boldly.
Immediately after the motor bike
Stopped there, to their utter surprise
Not the leopard like wild animals
But leopard coloured uniform clad
Persons having pointed guns at them
Pounced up and stood pride
Alas! They were none other than Red rebels.
It was known infested area of leftwing extremists
A group of rebels consisting of male and
Female comrades appeared from both
Sides of the jungle and encircled the couple
The male was a junior engineer
Working in a Govt Department and the
Lady a house wife trembled in fear
As if they would become senseless within a second.
The group commander asked the junior engineer
Why are you indulged in corruption?
Don’t you see the poverty of the people of this area?
How do they suffer in poverty and starvation?
And how they are perished gradually
Owing to their ignorance and superstition?
We know, you had some assets
When joined here in the Department
A few months back. In the mean while
You have gathered whatever assets you
Need to have a decent life.
Since you are recently wedded
And a long life is ahead of you
Don’t embezzle the public fund further.
This is the first warning to you
Or else you will be beheaded publicly.
You have absolutely no right to snatch away
The means of the downtrodden
Who has been suffering for ages?
In these hilly terrains for no fault of them
We have nothing against you personal
But we are keeping the entire accounts of yours
Since the day of you’re joining here
Now proceed and take care of your future
With these words of caution
They all vanished within a minute
In the dense forest not causing any harm to them
The couple sweated profusely speechless
In that winter evening almost like statues
Looking at them sneaking in to the jungle
With a sigh of relief to their astonishment
As they were unbelievably left unhurt