The Day Labor, Light Denied Poem by Ramesh Joshi

THE DAY LABOUR, LIGHT DENIED.
(An episode from Bhaagavat.)

A PIGEON COUPLE lived in nest on tree top
With siblings, pretty as they were to parents.
From morn to evening parents moved out in
Quest of food returning to feed their kids dear.

Life in family with off springs indeed is pleasant
They dreamt, beloved and got attached in bondage
Blinkered by ignorance, not knowing that all a naught
Lived in paradise, short as life spins surprising shock.

Morning dawned the parent couple left nest in quest
Of food as daily schedule it was.Lo! , the fatal moment,
Unforeseen of Time made ugly presence in pigeon life
That a fowler cast death trap beneath the tree to hunt.

Finding grains out spread on the trap, innocent siblings
Jumped down to eat and got trapped; the mother foul
Saw children in distress, broken hearted, it jumped in trap
Knowing not what to do, when the darling young in distress.

Miseries multiplied in sequel, as in life they do, when male
Returned home, saw the family on verge of ruin, thought no
Way out survival, hopeless as it was, chose the path they trod
Jumping in trap to live and die with dears, for whom life he lived.

The foulerTime, packed them all in basket leaving the world
To reflect that the family holders struggle hard for happiness
Ending up with exchange for sorrow, pain and anguish a final
Reward for the day labour, light denied to murmur vain in life.