Mystic Money

Mystic Money

 

Born and brought up

with a rural back drop

that a village could offer

seven decades earlier

in Indian sub-continent

just initiating her development

enjoyed I as a child the privilege

of witnessing my native village

on the path of transformation

from her age old held tradition.

That at this twilight days

fondly often I gaze

as the treasure to plunder,

the muses, to ponder over

that I nurture and nourish

at it I cheer while I cherish

the scenes of childhood wonders

mysteries buried under the blurs,

my queer queries galore

answers those then came to fore

later with the gain of wisdom

complexity turning awesome

though at my foolishness I smile and hoot

but on its unbiased originality, I salute

A post office in my village

at that age a true privilege

started to operate.

My excitement was in spate.

Its function of Dak distribution

grasped I, to my self-satisfaction,

but the mystery remained undone,

the money transfer and transaction

Money was sent by money order

and was delivered to the receiver

with the charge at a predefined rate

it reached destination being rarely late

Money, then, in any form

coins to notes varying for a sum

money order took and brought.

Intrigued, this transfer, my thought.

At our post office

thus came to my notice

the money sent by a sender

to his outstation receiver

was given then and there

by the postmaster being unfair

to a receiver claiming his money order

sent to him by his outstation sender

then me, it bewildered

and in me, thoughts anchored

on the mystic c power of money

though the scene looks novice and funny

The anecdote runs thus

in me the scene never gathered moss.

To post master

for money order

ten rupee note and changes as MO fee

Damei gave to send his son the money

Then came Anam to take his money order

that was ten rupees sent by his brother.

Lo! the postmaster gave Anam, Damei’s note

thus creating in me doubts many to float.

The mystic power of money

in whatever form it may be

sensex, GDP or balance sheet

coins notes bonds card credit or debit

financial ratios discounted cash flow

everywhere it is money’s magic show.

Chnges it its costumes and cosmetics

to be dollar rupees with power magnetics

casting its illusory spell on one and all,

make its impact on the creations to fall.

Rupees ten sent then by money order

for payment of hostel fee as a boarder

cause it may present youth a laughter

To its magic power, there is no answer

though money power is no power

three owes of humanityu to cower

nor has real value to measure

time and values latent in nature.

My bewilderment as a child then

peeps in me again and again.

 

 

P K Routray

in the service of Lord