Poems by
Mathew K N

Survival (of the fittest)

a poem by Mathew K N

Dark was the night with no signs of stars in the sky,
Foggy was all the space, drizzling on intermittent.
Daringly went out I to the valley in the shivering cold:
Finding no one in the muddy path, I felt lonely.

It was dreadful to see the glow worms blinking, like lamps,
In the far away hut, I could behold another lamp lit:
It was not an easy task to walk in the lanes, stones,
In midst of fear, I saw a figure sitting in the hut.

There came a series of questions in my mind, in a flash,
I tried in vain to find a solid answer, or solutions;
The narrow path became invisible, mist and snow falling,
I was confused a little, whether to proceed or to retreat.

While slowly approaching the hut, I saw a rustic girl,
Clad in plain simple clothes, shivering, tears on cheeks.
When I reached nearer, I saw a lean figure in skeletons,
Covering her body in rags, showing some gestures vague.

I asked the little girl dubiously, “Where is your father?;
Bursting in to tears, “he is in the other room’, she said.
Inside I went, to see the man stiff with no signs of life;
Beyond doubt, he had succumbed to the cruelty of nature.

In the sea of mixed feelings I stood, thinking what to do,
My mind was a question mark and my heart in utter mess:
In the heaves, God was urging me to do only the right,
Myself phoned for ambulance to take them to the hospital.

With no crowd, the corpse was buried in the churchyard;
God, the Almighty was smiling in my deed, it seemed;
Weary was the girl and mother, hospitalized, nursed well;
Gone one week, they the members of my sweet home forever?