A child, then and now

A child, then and now

 

Today

to my dismay

a child’s picture

that I in my heart, nurture

a kid under, a teen

with mobile on-scene

running to a car of a new generation

after its posh school session

with a bag bulging and heavy

bending it right from the knee

with a water bottle hanging on the neck

pushing on the face thick glassed spec.

gazing at mobile while on the run

with pals, without gossip or fun

suited booted with a necktie

in smartness with pals to vie

his school infused in him to be bright

encouraging students’ pride and spite,

no airy field to play and run

fed he was, with  tasty  food, no nutrition

while dining concentrating on the silver screen

cartoons, crimes exhibited on the scene

exciting thrilling him infusing negative emotions

propelled by the next day in class further discussions,

bathing in a tub with a mugful of water

because of fear of cold cough and fever

icecream, chocolate aa his sweets, favorite

unaware is his parent on minerals, and vitamin deficit.

a bath in a river

he has taken, never

as dirt floats in the river water

bites of water insects are bitter

and fear of her current and flow

learning swimming to it much I owe,

stoning at mango tree

for a mango, he can never see,

plucking the berries from thorny plants

imagine he can never hills of white ants

in a picture of climbing a tree, he only sees

in school, during recess, I learned how to climb trees,

in the classes and the recess, the play

never enjoyed he whatever one may say,

soiled sweat drenched dresses

his mom never washes

easily his dresses go to dry cleaner

to be the smartest, money does not matter.

Wolves, jackals, fox, rabbit, mongoose

baits, owls, eagles, sparrows, and wild goose

he sees only on the silver screen or in zoos

their gameplay, deeds many, me, did amuse

baits resting upside down on a tree during a day

ferocity of wolves, howling of jackals, and geese’s play

most interesting is the mongoose and snake’s fray

enjoyed I as a child, those are vibrant in me today.

Bereft, he is of nature’s display

hence his love for nature vanishes as we see today.

He is taught with aids modern

his classroom studies artificial intelligence govern

unaware they are of blackboard and chalk

taught they are without a teacher through virtual talk.

No open space for him, kite to fly

he has not seen how bullock carts ply

to measure the energy and ecology dilapidations

where in the future he will have further negative contributions.

Society equips them to be intellectual modern

without physical and emotional health, a matter of concern.

P K Routray

in the service of the Lord