Monday, August 19, 2019

Early Birds (Part—II)




 



                       




       
                        Gone are the times when the milk-boy came

                        Driving his cow or buffalo up to our home

                        To draw milk into the pail with hissing froth

                        And pour fresh pure milk with no water mixt; 
                        
                         But now in the grey dim light of the dawn

                         With a load of milk-sachets he has to go

                         Moving up and down the stairs with athletic speed

                         Dropping milk packets of various brands

                         Marking each flat’s ordered items;

                         Hundreds of homes he touches with winged feet

                         He comes and vanishes, no time to speak

                         Even if he drops wrong items sometimes;

                         His going thence felt by his tapping shoes;

                         After this breathtaking breaking schedule

                         He has to run to school or to work in a shop

                         To prop his family with his meagre returns;

                         The chilly weather pinches his warm limbs

                         As he tightens his lips and moves with hurried steps;

                         No time for him to sleep in warm, soft cosy bed

                         No time to drink hot coffee in leisurely way

                         With early sunrise he has to start his day;

                         If he by chance doth skip his work one day

                         Our morning hours become too cold and grey

                         His ringing bicycle bell, a welcome happy call

                         As merry as a rooster’s cry in early morn;     
                  
                         For all who crave for hot coffee in morning time;

                         Like chirping birds skipping from bough to bough

                         Looking for bits of crumbs with nimble looks.                       

                           ********************************
   
                 19th August, 2019                   Somaseshu Gutala

                                  

                 
                       
                  


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