by M.Mohankumar
When the crow flew in and, perching
on the ventilator, cawed and cawed,
he woke up with a start, shooed it
away, and thought no more of it.
But when this happened, morning
after morning – for days on end –
he wondered whether it presaged
some calamity, and was alarmed.
He sought counsel from godmen
and pundits versed in ancient lore –
till he was almost driven mad
by their wild interpretations.
Then came a wizened, old seer,
one with matted hair, blind in both eyes,
who said it was his father’s spirit,
come to bless his devout son.
These days, he eagerly awaits
the darshan. As the crow flies in,
he folds his hands in prayerful silence
and goes on bended knee.
And out on the road, when he sees
a crow, he greets it with folded hands,
unmindful of the passers-by
who look on, amused, wondering….
Mohankumar has published seven volumes of poetry in English. His poems have appeared in almost all reputed literary magazines in print in India. His first collection of short stories in English, ‘The Turning Point and Other Stories’ has been published by Authorspress, Delhi . Mohankumar retired as Chief secretary to Government of Kerala.
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