Prophet Parrot -Astrologer Poem by Mula Veereswara Rao

The Prophet- Parrot Astrologer

Under a banyan tree
A parrot-astrologer sits,
The parrot spills the future
Of the curious pedestrians
Showering future delights,
Though her rapture ruptured
in the bondage of the cage.


For astrologer parrot is livelihood
Parrot’s portrait is wounded childhood.


Parrot, comes out from cage
Like a well-established prophet
Takes a deep gaze,
Shuffles differently painted cards,
Randomly picks up one,
Strolls back to cage as usual.


For some, it promises promotion
For some, it promises wedding bells
For some, it promises the return
Of a child staying abroad long since.


At the dusk fall,
The astrologer thanks, feeds the parrot,
He repeats one question every night.
About the whereabouts of his missing son
Parrot displays a safe card with its beak.


The same question
The same reply every night,
Time passes by
Astrologer's son fails to return.
To keep every one in a happy mood
The parrot never predicts evil;
Its own master's son got drowned
In the ditch by an unexpected slip
Though aware, the parrot instills hope
To see his master always cheerful.