1. All their responsibilities over; now
they are old
So many years went fast
with so many events
Of shocking
surprises and smashing blows they spent;
Now they are idle, all
their acts remain as memories dim
A rich tapestry of
experiences manifold
Reveals their dark shades
as well as their decisions bold;
Lingering dreams both
hilarious and grim
Each thing, a rich mine
of their feelings unfolds
Closely linked
to their things though worn and old.
2. Though of no use they tend to store
articles old
Safely hidden in the
lumber room or in the loft
To let them go rusting or
gathering dust a lot
Their minds swell with
pride whenever they behold
The relics of their past
which they feel as precious as gold
Each item and article, a
rich heritage reveals
Going back to many
generations they feel
Their eyes become dim
with tears when they recall
Their ancestors, their hard toil, uprise and their downfall.
3. The tiled tiny houses old wherein
they dwell
Were built in old fashion
with tiny windows and doors
With tiled sloping roofs
and rugged stone-floors
With spacious backyards
and gloomy cells;
Appear morose, lonely
with lost glory casting a tragic spell
Yet still survive
weather-beaten with corridors long
They seem to resist decay
and survive still strong
Though for others out of
date, worthless and not so cute
Like ruined temples with
broken sculptures mute.
4. They stack their old books in
cupboards in rows neat
Which they esteem as a
valuable treasure
To them a source of
knowledge and immense pleasure
But now gathered dust and
verily a sumptuous feast
To silver fish; a rich
heritage which they can not to forfeit;
The present generation
finds no time or patience to read
Those bulky volumes,
repositories of wisdom indeed
The present digital age
people cannot not spare
So much space for these leather-bound collections rare.
5. Their world seems out of date with
articles old
Yet the elders would not
like suddenly to part;
They are part of their
lives very near to their hearts
They touch them as if
they are worth precious gold
And praise them as
strong, durable and not to be sold
The old T.V. fridge,
brass vessels and pots
All obsolete things
bought once at throw away cost
Each thing has a history and
feelings of its own
They don’t like their old things as junk to be thrown.
6. They may seem, like cobwebs in gloomy
nooks cold
Or like bats hanging
upside down from trees
Not daring enough to be
flexible and free
Averse to change still
clinging to customs old
Tied to their sentiments
they are not bold;
Yet we should not brush
aside their feelings and thoughts
If these things are lost,
can we capture the spirit of past?
No chance to retrieve
their glory lost at any cost.
We should respect and
imbibe their values, a lot.
*************************
18th November 2025 Somaseshu Gutala
