Some Short Poems of P K Joy
(Read more of them at www.PoemHunter.com)
1 . THE UNRECOGNIZED GOD
I do remember I have ill-treated you.
But, I hadn’t recognised you, my Lord.
I couldn’t think that you would ever
Appear to me in deprived guises
Of a beggar, a leper, an AIDS patient,
A hopeless man, a burdened labourer,
A victim of hatred, one deprived of justice,
A widow in rags, a starving orphan,
A depressed addict, a distressed human,
And several more of such lowly forms,
In slums, on footpaths, near temple gates,
Among the destitute and at garbage dumps.
I had thought that you’d regally appear in
Royal robes, riding golden chariot
With trumpets, harps and accompaniments
Played by an army of heavenly angels.
Humble God who dwells in deprived humans!
Help me recognize you in the least of men
And propitiate you through their domains
Instead of searching for you in the distant heaven.
2. DISHARMONY’S DEATH
Soft-spoken words of erudite mouths
Can kill most ills of this dissonant earth.
Shower them on everyone without dearth.
They will bring about disharmony’s death.
3. FOR THE WEAK’S SAKE
I'm happy that you’ve beaten me till your hands lost their strength,
Then taken a large bite of flesh from my neck,
And drank my blood till you quenched your fury.
For, in the mean time the actual prey could run for his.
4. TO BANISH YOU INIQUITOUS
My body may shortly fade away,
Being unable to feed its minimum needs.
But my poetry which needs no food or shelter
Will stay back to banish you iniquitous!
5. TILL CORRUPTION IS ERASED
You might succeed in banishing me.
But my extermination will not clear your way.
The army of intellectuals I've striven and raised
Will continue the crusade till corruption is erased.
6. MY PANGS AND YOUR BANGS
Starving stomach’s pangs had brought me to your doorstep
To beg for crumbs of leftover food.
Not listening to my begging, you grabbed my body
And forced me to take your lust’s vicious bangs.
When done with, you pushed me out and ordered
To ‘get lost silently with no time lost’.
7. MY STINCT AS GOD
Pleased with my hard work and ardent daily worship
God gave me charge as ‘Acting God” for a day.
That was the worst ever day of my life,
Torn between contradicting prayers and demands,
Dealing with innumerable blames and complaints,
Facing major threats of defections and slanders
From religious bosses scoffing at each other,
And criminals and politicians brandishing weapons,
False devotees offering to make my idols and temples
In exchange for covering up heinous criminal acts,
And billions’ prayers for health, wealth and pleasures
For no qualifying merits ever earned by their actions.
I couldn’t endure the ordeal till the day came to close.
I sneaked out of the throne and ran to my refuge!
8. POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN HEAVEN TOO?
God! I have received your quick movement order,
A thirty minutes’ notice for leaving the world for ever.
I wonder if some politicians have influenced this decision
Before I could cleanse them according to my vision!
9. STARVING NEIGHBOURS ARE WATCHING YOU
Starving neighbours are watching you and your pets
Indulge in profligate consumption beyond needs.
And while you revel in merriment like sturdy steeds,
They sigh and wish they were your pet dogs or cats.
10. STRENGTHEN THE ROOTS
Your weakening roots will surely fail
To hold you fast in the future to bear fruits.
The impending fall will spell your doom.
So, make haste to strengthen your roots, Oh Nations!
11. UNHEARD CRIES
Forced by my long-starving children’s cries
I plucked a coconut from my neighbour’s grove.
As I climbed down the tree, the neighbour caught me
And broke my head with the same tender coconut.
My children saw. Their cries grew louder.
Their cries and the wails of my grieving wife
Travelled from my hut to the hospital’s porch
And thence to the graveyard. Seemed none heard the cries!
12. LET ME CARE, SHARE AND BEAR
In your distress do always keep me by your side.
Stop me not when I take care of all that you need.
Decline not my offer of a share of what I've earned
And use my shoulder rightfully to bear your excess load.
13. WHO IS BIGGER?
Sesame seed said to the mustard seed
“Hey small fellow! I’m much bigger than you!
Mustard seed retorted “No, puny! I’m bigger”
Amused elephant asked: “ What’s the weight of you the bigger?”
14. OH CRUELTY, THY NAME IS ....
For all the love I’ve lavished on you,
For all the comforts I’ve ensured for you,
For all sacrifices I’ve made for you,
And for all the pains I’ve endured for your sake,
The reward you gave me in my time of distress
Has broken my heart and led me to my tragic end.
Tearfully I take leave, carrying the baggage of cruelty
You packed with myriad charges, scandals, and accusations,
Which you've used jointly and severally to make me unfit
To live with you anymore, and justify your cruel deeds.
15. YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED
The roll has been called up for the award of eternal life.
I’m not there, despite I’m the recipient of the highest worldly award!
My enquiry elicited a reply that reads to my sorrow thus:
“You were a big man, not a great human being”
16. LET US BUILD A NEW RELATIONSHIP
Your flogging has left deep scars on my body.
Now the whip is in my hand and you are within its reach.
But I will not flog you, instead I urge you to repent and humble.
Let repentance and forgiveness build a new relationship.
17. THE PRICE YOU PAID
You wallowed in all the worldly pleasures and thrills.
Your preys who resisted were cruelly killed.
Joys had filled your days, but cruel days are now here,
Forcing you to wallow in stinking excrement!
18. THE SHEEP TO THE SHEPHERD
I’ve gone astray without knowing the right path.
You can’t blame me, nor show your burning wrath
I’m only a sheep. You’ve been the shepherd.
To lead me timely, you have failed my lord!
19. YOU WOULDN’T SPARE EVEN BY DESCENDANTS!
You have buried my dead body with feigned grief,
But didn’t bury the grudges you’d borne for me,
Nor buried the scandals you’d woven around me.
You’re passing them on to my descendants. Be happy my friend!
20. WHY SHOULD THE WORLD BEAR YOU LONGER AND LONGER?
Myriad things you are doing to prolong your life.
It takes most part of your waking time.
Wagons of food and tankers of drinks
You’ve consumed, besides other scarce resources.
What have you given in return to the world?
Why should the world bear you longer and longer?
I do remember I have ill-treated you.
But, I hadn’t recognised you, my Lord.
I couldn’t think that you would ever
Appear to me in deprived guises
Of a beggar, a leper, an AIDS patient,
A hopeless man, a burdened labourer,
A victim of hatred, one deprived of justice,
A widow in rags, a starving orphan,
A depressed addict, a distressed human,
And several more of such lowly forms,
In slums, on footpaths, near temple gates,
Among the destitute and at garbage dumps.
I had thought that you’d regally appear in
Royal robes, riding golden chariot
With trumpets, harps and accompaniments
Played by an army of heavenly angels.
Humble God who dwells in deprived humans!
Help me recognize you in the least of men
And propitiate you through their domains
Instead of searching for you in the distant heaven.
2. DISHARMONY’S DEATH
Soft-spoken words of erudite mouths
Can kill most ills of this dissonant earth.
Shower them on everyone without dearth.
They will bring about disharmony’s death.
3. FOR THE WEAK’S SAKE
I'm happy that you’ve beaten me till your hands lost their strength,
Then taken a large bite of flesh from my neck,
And drank my blood till you quenched your fury.
For, in the mean time the actual prey could run for his.
4. TO BANISH YOU INIQUITOUS
My body may shortly fade away,
Being unable to feed its minimum needs.
But my poetry which needs no food or shelter
Will stay back to banish you iniquitous!
5. TILL CORRUPTION IS ERASED
You might succeed in banishing me.
But my extermination will not clear your way.
The army of intellectuals I've striven and raised
Will continue the crusade till corruption is erased.
6. MY PANGS AND YOUR BANGS
Starving stomach’s pangs had brought me to your doorstep
To beg for crumbs of leftover food.
Not listening to my begging, you grabbed my body
And forced me to take your lust’s vicious bangs.
When done with, you pushed me out and ordered
To ‘get lost silently with no time lost’.
7. MY STINCT AS GOD
Pleased with my hard work and ardent daily worship
God gave me charge as ‘Acting God” for a day.
That was the worst ever day of my life,
Torn between contradicting prayers and demands,
Dealing with innumerable blames and complaints,
Facing major threats of defections and slanders
From religious bosses scoffing at each other,
And criminals and politicians brandishing weapons,
False devotees offering to make my idols and temples
In exchange for covering up heinous criminal acts,
And billions’ prayers for health, wealth and pleasures
For no qualifying merits ever earned by their actions.
I couldn’t endure the ordeal till the day came to close.
I sneaked out of the throne and ran to my refuge!
8. POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN HEAVEN TOO?
God! I have received your quick movement order,
A thirty minutes’ notice for leaving the world for ever.
I wonder if some politicians have influenced this decision
Before I could cleanse them according to my vision!
9. STARVING NEIGHBOURS ARE WATCHING YOU
Starving neighbours are watching you and your pets
Indulge in profligate consumption beyond needs.
And while you revel in merriment like sturdy steeds,
They sigh and wish they were your pet dogs or cats.
10. STRENGTHEN THE ROOTS
Your weakening roots will surely fail
To hold you fast in the future to bear fruits.
The impending fall will spell your doom.
So, make haste to strengthen your roots, Oh Nations!
11. UNHEARD CRIES
Forced by my long-starving children’s cries
I plucked a coconut from my neighbour’s grove.
As I climbed down the tree, the neighbour caught me
And broke my head with the same tender coconut.
My children saw. Their cries grew louder.
Their cries and the wails of my grieving wife
Travelled from my hut to the hospital’s porch
And thence to the graveyard. Seemed none heard the cries!
12. LET ME CARE, SHARE AND BEAR
In your distress do always keep me by your side.
Stop me not when I take care of all that you need.
Decline not my offer of a share of what I've earned
And use my shoulder rightfully to bear your excess load.
13. WHO IS BIGGER?
Sesame seed said to the mustard seed
“Hey small fellow! I’m much bigger than you!
Mustard seed retorted “No, puny! I’m bigger”
Amused elephant asked: “ What’s the weight of you the bigger?”
14. OH CRUELTY, THY NAME IS ....
For all the love I’ve lavished on you,
For all the comforts I’ve ensured for you,
For all sacrifices I’ve made for you,
And for all the pains I’ve endured for your sake,
The reward you gave me in my time of distress
Has broken my heart and led me to my tragic end.
Tearfully I take leave, carrying the baggage of cruelty
You packed with myriad charges, scandals, and accusations,
Which you've used jointly and severally to make me unfit
To live with you anymore, and justify your cruel deeds.
15. YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED
The roll has been called up for the award of eternal life.
I’m not there, despite I’m the recipient of the highest worldly award!
My enquiry elicited a reply that reads to my sorrow thus:
“You were a big man, not a great human being”
16. LET US BUILD A NEW RELATIONSHIP
Your flogging has left deep scars on my body.
Now the whip is in my hand and you are within its reach.
But I will not flog you, instead I urge you to repent and humble.
Let repentance and forgiveness build a new relationship.
17. THE PRICE YOU PAID
You wallowed in all the worldly pleasures and thrills.
Your preys who resisted were cruelly killed.
Joys had filled your days, but cruel days are now here,
Forcing you to wallow in stinking excrement!
18. THE SHEEP TO THE SHEPHERD
I’ve gone astray without knowing the right path.
You can’t blame me, nor show your burning wrath
I’m only a sheep. You’ve been the shepherd.
To lead me timely, you have failed my lord!
19. YOU WOULDN’T SPARE EVEN BY DESCENDANTS!
You have buried my dead body with feigned grief,
But didn’t bury the grudges you’d borne for me,
Nor buried the scandals you’d woven around me.
You’re passing them on to my descendants. Be happy my friend!
20. WHY SHOULD THE WORLD BEAR YOU LONGER AND LONGER?
Myriad things you are doing to prolong your life.
It takes most part of your waking time.
Wagons of food and tankers of drinks
You’ve consumed, besides other scarce resources.
What have you given in return to the world?
Why should the world bear you longer and longer?
