IMAGE OF EARTH AND QUILL

Guest Poet John Thelapuram



Tears from the Desert

Abraham 
How could you do this to us?
Desert is growing in front of us
Where should we go?
Whom should we meet?
I didn’t come to you
I were a humble servant of you
Spend my time in serving your wife
You only came to me
It was your wish
And he is your child
Where should we go?
Desert is growing in front of us
Forgot the thirst you had then?
For one kid of your blood
Thirst is growing inside us
See your kid is almost dead
Sun is hot and there is no shade
Desert is growing in front of us
There is no leaf, not even brown
I want to cry but tears are emptied
Whom should we meet?
There is no chance meet anyone
I know I am your slave
I have no right to ask 
How could you forget him?
He is your son, your own blood 
You knew that I am your slave
Still you came to me 
Is this justice? Is this right?
I can’t walk any more 
Oh I need some water
The sun looks almost yellow
I can’t walk any more  
Abraham
I won’t come back to you
I won’t demand any thing
I know you are a man
Who can’t change anything
May be this is my last minutes
This desert may become tomb
Tomb of your slave and child
None will come to bury us
But the god may send sand storms


July, 2002


John Thelapuram's questions:

What do feel after reading this poem?

Is the poem too long?


Please correspond with John Thelapuram at
thelapuram@sify.com
with your ideas about this poem.



The Albany Poetry Workshop