The Old Man Poem by Akham Nilabirdhwaja Singh

The old man of my locality,
(He had no issue)
about fifty years ago
was famouse in our locality
and neighbouring villages
for his knowledge
of the native Pantheon
spirits and ghosts.
Often he conducted rituals
to ward off evil spirits
from the homes of the people
and bodies of ailing persons.
His faith in such rituals was unshakable

One day his wife fell ill.
But no doctor he consulted
for he did not believe in the sanctity
and efficay of the profession
and pharmaceutical drugs.
Instead he performed rituals himself,
sought what the deities would tell
about the cure of her ailment
in his sombre dreams.

Of no avail!
the old woman died
after prolong illness.
But the old man asked,
"What we the humans can do
when providence so destined? "

The old man lived
till ripe old age.
Never he fell ill.
Never he consulted a doctor
nor took pharmaceutical drugs