Sitting Beside Them Poem by Nikhil Parekh

As I surveyed the area sitting like a prince on the helicopter seat; sipping
with great relish; from a canister replete with chilled champagne,
The scenes that struck my vision were profoundly appalling; and a silent sob
escaped my breath; making me nostalgic about my blissful past.

When I trespassed the streets in the swanky Mercedes; a cavalcade of cars
following me in stringent unison,
I felt a cold shiver creep down my spine; disseminated a few bundles of scented currency chivalrously amongst the afflicted.

When I philandered through the village; royally seated on a horse; incessantly
pulling its reins; instigating it to gallop faster,
I felt nimbly moved by the situation that confronted me; made an appeasing
speech to the masses to keep their calm.

While I transgressed through the hutments; masticating sumptuous delicacies;
in the stupendously air-conditioned compartment of my train,
I could hear stifled wails kissing my ears; and I immediately instructed my
colleagues to investigate more scrupulously into the matter; act philanthropically with the tyrannized people.

As I sighted the land; soaring high in my luxurious gas balloon; with a silken
ensemble of clouds caressing me voluptuously; every unleashing second,
I saw a tiny conglomerate of people scampering in terror on the lanes; felt a
bit petrified at the sight of disaster; which in turn fomented me to drop multiple packets of food; to sanctimoniously assist those circumvented by bizarre anguish.

When I glimpsed the houses through my field glasses; nibbling at robust chunks
of apple; sitting on the deck of the majestic ship,
I saw hazy shadows of blood and panic; and incoherently babbled a message
through the loud speaker; appealing to the belligerent individuals to relinquish their swords.

As I peeked at the distraught scenario; eavesdropping on the brutal proceedings from the balcony of my grandiloquent bungalow,
I ordered my guards to tighten security; instructed them to transport ladies
and helpless infants to corridors of safety.

When I was apprised of the gruesome situation; after viewing it explicitly on
the monstrous monitor of the planetarium,
I dictated a nation wide alert; instantaneously dispatching battalions of army
and relief supply to cater to those rendered homeless.

While it was only sitting beside them; that I realized their veritable
grief; the devastation they had suffered after the killer earthquake,
And what had taken me infinite expeditions to imbibe; now became as clear to
me as the back of my palm; as I embraced them wholeheartedly; felt their moist
tears dribble down my cheek; candidly yet emphatically portraying the aftermath of disaster.