Vultures Poem by Pankaj Prasoon

On the open ground lying remote
thousands and thousands of vultures
descended
absorbed
converting cadavers into ribcage
littering the dead marrow and blood
took flight
satisfied
like mythical flying sages
…those thousands of vultures.

The new circle of dogs rushed
joined them
-thin, fat and hairy dogs
-snatching intestines
with their sharp jaws.

When the merry vultures
fled away
dancing
a little cushion of black cloud
enveloped the earth
their enemy-the dogs
slept there on the ground
then the vultures descended
stealthily curled their feathers
…and slept with the dogs.


II

No one knew what happened
that the gala feasts of
vultures and dogs stopped abruptly
corpse eater vultures
bowel plucker teeter-totter dogs
started felling down
dying
the whole ground
became full of their remains
and stench coming out from them
no one remained to eat them
and become happy
corpse after corpse
ah! such a wretched condition of life
…those thousands of vultures

III

The ground dried
skeletons dried
of the animals, dogs, vultures
an eerie silence stretched
but slowly, slowly and slowly
There sneaked in something new
There started -
-coming
-gathering
vultures again
…they were new vultures
the same old story started again
now vultures occupied
the parapets as well
…those thousands of vultures! ! !