ON KILLING A COCKROACH

        

                           

       

                                         ON KILLING A COCKROACH

                   1)          Each night like a thief she comes unseen

                                 With sensing feelers so long and keen

                                 With her defiling touch our food she spoils

                                 As if mocking at our kitchen care and toil.

      

                   2)            Her nightly visits upset our rest

                                  Determined to exterminate this pest

                                  A strategic position I cautiously took

                                  Waiting for her to come out of her nook.

                   3)            My heart is full of fire for this crafty cockroach

                                  Sensing my presence she did not approach

                                  A piece of candy I kept as bait

                                  Till she arrives I have to wait and wait.

                  4)             With nimble pace she crawled so fast

                                   Her dark brown back in a trice I lost

                                   I threw my broom at her though fast

                                   She leapt like a nymph beyond my thought.

                  5)             Let me destroy this petty devil

                                  So haughty, reckless and uncivil

                                  My bosom whispered “Are you not

                                  A worm in past ? Have you so soon forgot ?

       

                  6)           “The same spirit dwells in her and in your heart 

                                 Give up your worthless and cruel thoughts ;

                                 Is she a  crocodile to catch you with her jaws

                                 Is she a tiger to tear you with her claws ?

                               

                  7)            Is she a viper or scorpion with a deadly sting

                                 A miserable end for you to bring?

                                Your wretched broom how can you fling

                                To kill such a harmless pretty thing?

                   8)          Her origins too old beyond your trace

                                Her species will outlive your human race ;

                                Nature’s purpose you find in their existence

                                Be not in haste ; use your intelligence.

  

                   9)          Be not a savage who mercilessly kills

                                To show his rugged strength and hunting skills ;

                                Neat and tidy your surroundings maintain

                                No fleas will come then, you need not complain.

                                      

                   10)        To kill or not to kill my mind began to swing

                                Like a bat in gloom groping on wing

                                She slipped from my finger tips at once

                                AS I stood rattled, a philosophizing dunce.

                                

 Note :  In this poem written in a lighter vein, it is suggestive of need for cleanliness of surroundings. Just going on a killing spree will not put an end to our common problems.

           The cockroach is one of the most ancient species born 320 million years ago on this earth. There are nearly 4,500 kinds of species called Blattodea. They are the most adaptive creatures to climate changes. They can survive in Arctic cold and in hottest regions as well. They can survive without food for one month and without breathing air for 45 minutes. Some scientists say that in the event of nuclear war , the only surviving creatures will be cockroaches.

       Ref : nymph = a mythlogical spirit residing in water, and forests.     

                   = a young immature insect with undeveloped wings. 

           Philosophising = think about abstract ideals

                       

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         12th April, 2017                           Somaseshu Gutala