WHAT IS YOURS?

                                

 

              

 1.    What is yours now belonged to others

         And what is yours now will go to somebody else;

         None can see destiny’s pulse

         And what happens to you, who bothers?

         Our lives insignificant specks in endless tide

         Of time which batters our ego and pride.

 

2.      The tender bloom of childhood which you had

          Melted like dew with growing years;

          No more can you feel those innocent smiles and tears;

          You lost those realms of golden fantasies so glad

          What an unbridgeable gap between you and that child!

          Your mind, no more like blossoms fresh and wild.

 

3.       Through turbulent youth a few blunders you made

           Thy age, an excuse to act with renewed delight;

           None blamed thy negligence and none did slight;

           Like happy dreams of night, they slip away and fade;

           Those lovely forgiving intimate ties

           You can’t find now and Time so quickly flies.

 

4.     You flaunted your vigour in reckless youth

        You rambled free gloating on luxuries full;

        You yielded thoughtless to temptations’ pull;

        You spared no time to think of vital truths;

        You cared little about consequences in store

        In worldly joys you sank down more and more.

 

5.    As family burdens with age did bend you down

       Your cuckoo dreams swept off like dust

       In gust of worldly ways and passion’s thirst;

       Must yield to burdens you have to bear

       The thrust of your deeds with others you cannot share.

 

6.   As old age looms, your strength slowly wanes

       You have to pay for your wayward ways past;

       Your youth and beauty have to yield at any cost;

       Your status and power cannot retard or restrain

       No more can you indulge in pleasures vain

       You spend a lot on medical bills, but can’t complain. 

 

7.   Your splendour, glory, wealth and power

       Vanish in a flash just like a dream

       No more can you wield authority supreme;

      Your bonds of which you boast tumble like a tower;

      The cloud of uncertainty hangs before

      The effects of change you can resist no more.

 

8.   Just like leaves in winter turn sick-pale and fade

      Old age weakens our limbs and brain as well;

      A gradual change and how it happens none can foretell

      Our worldly possessions, mere dancing shades;

      So many unforeseen complaints attack our health

      Our past vicious habits, like thieves, impact in stealth.

 

9.   Our closest kin depart to leave mere memories past

      Our dearest bonds will not forever last;

      Even our dearest children have to live apart

      To shoulder their own tasks at any cost;

      What happens to your family’s privilege and pride

      When they act free and not by rules abide? 

 

10.  In tide of time of what you assume as yours

       Turns weak, wrinkled and not so well it seems;

       Irreversible change you cannot redeem;

       Your body loses its vital force and living powers;

       What you assume as yours-nothing remains at last

       Your power and wealth all gone; tell me, what is yours?

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         31st May, 2022                     Somaseshu Gutala