Fate Fares... Poem by PARTHA SARATHI PAUL

We do not reach our destiny
through the paths we choose to walk along.
Rather, we follow the paths
chosen by our destiny for us.
We think, we change our courses
at our human will or animal whims.
But, these things are not impromptu;
as willy-nilly we obey a scripted itinerary.

A death dies on reading the last milestone
next to what lies an unending unseen road
and in such a way may play all slaves with their master.
Ah! Yet we grow so fond of our costumes and make-ups
that are put on us as protagonist wayfarers or buffoon travelers.
And only at death we realize how our destiny was set
but none to tell it as such words are never heard then.
As long as we put up here in this planet
we feed ourselves on our imposing self-respect.