The Abandoned House Poem by Karunanidhy Shanmugam

THE ABANDONED HOUSE
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Here's my age old house in rubbles
Standing without any of its glories
It's roof is torn with a wrinkled wall
Inside it, are a thousand stories hidden
And look there, even a tiny banyan within
Passed awy, are a few generations
Yet there's no sign of revelations
Alone and aloof, the house has none there
Like those olden days, to breathe it and care!

Just when I step in there, could I see my yesteryears
Creeping through my feet, filling me with lot of pain
Spreading all over my soul, and leaving sadly in vain!

Its walls are seen with roots of an unwanted wild plant
Buried there are many a thing, and creep like an ant
Oh! My crawling stage in the open space at its centre
Where I made cakes of sand and played like a hunter
My little plays there, and stories of angels and demons
That my grandmother told with love under the heavens!

A trembling beam over there with less support
And that stood and held my cradle in this hut!

Alas! Even now, could I feel the heat
Of all the kith and kin who went apart
Amidst the cracks of this white wall of clay
Where those scribbled pictures lay
All that little fingers of mine did say!

Ignored and fallen is the great door there
Once stood on the mighty doorstep here
Installed on an auspicious time, as they say
And this was the one that carried me for play!

The woodden pillar and the sloping wall
onto which I leaned and rested so long
Gaze and gaze, at me with so much pain
About all those who moved out in slain!

Yet, my deep feelings do roll
Like a ball amidst this rubble
Could there be a match ever
For such a loving mother's lap
To rest and have a peaceful nap!