Monday, December 17, 2007

Death of a Bastard in a lonely Hospital cabin


He cries in a noiseless din.

Silence in his grief.

Cornered by a thousand hands

Out to strangle him.

His eyes a screen of hazy words

Face pockmarked with quiz.


A pin-drop could be heard in haste

In these hollow corridors

Pain and panic fornicate

Head swims in a dreamy blur.

Sickly fumes that augur ill

And ward-boys at their chores.


A desiccated soul asleep

Behind glazed glasses

Every labored rippled breath

Whispering a horrid threat

In silent vigil of a death

His father slowly passes.


His name a shame from before birth.

A society’s discard.

Now his hands in hands so cold

As life unfastened its own hold

His mind could mock at fate unfold

No longer ‘A Bastard’.



This was named something else by me. One of my blogger friends suggested a more direct nomenclature. I owe him this.

Photo: gettyimages.com

10 comments:

Macadamia The Nut said...

reminds me that whatever the advancement in techfrigginology, or culture... some things never change. Sigh, Hard hitting post

Occasional Brilliance said...

temporarily speechless...

beautifully written...

ArSENik said...

Interesting take on the relationship with the father, and not the mother, as is probably more common in such cases. I am interested in knowing what your idea of the title was. I find this one too verbose and direct. Nevertheless, I found the poem effectively short, expressing a certain finality that describes Death and beautifully dark.

ad libber said...

Hospitals are not always that dismal, you know.
Why do people bring the shame of the parents on innocent children? To partake of a guilt of a fault which was never his, which should not even be considered as a fault, is the greatest flaws in our cultural civilizations yet.
I too would like to know your idea of the title.

What's In A Name ? said...

# macademia- Yes. Somethings never change. Human hypocrisy is just one of them.

# Firewhisky- Thanks.

#Aresnik & ad libber- My initial title was 'A Silent Lament'.

@ ad libber - Well, if you are visiting Woodlands and Apollo you wouldn't find hospitals dismal at all. They are actually more like a walk down a 'medial theme-park'. Try visiting a Bangur Hospital, Calcutta Medical College ( free beds for the poor), Bidyasagar Hospital, R.G Kar etc etc etc and you will get the grim picture. I am sure.

Macadamia The Nut said...

LOL!!!!
Medical theme park
I love that term

WritingsForLife said...

awesome poetry :)

What's In A Name ? said...

# macad & raaji- Thanks thanks....:)

ad libber said...

I did have the Calcutta Med College in mind and the place can be quite a delightful place sometimes, despite the sickness and misery and the squalor. Took me quite a few visits to realize that.

... said...

Hmmm...brilliance is all I can utter!