A Hard Journey

Driving on the way
I stumble upon a sight
Such stifling heat out about to kill
squatted on a heap of garbage
An old sticky poor woman
Gathers things
Some plastic pieces
Bits of iron, some papers
She 's engrossed with her chores
Separates each item out of the heap
Things that'll satiate her hunger
The trash'll give her for a day
Some pieces of bread
Tortured by the summer
Yet so immersed
In life's hard path
Her shattered wooden frame
Devoid of skin, mere bundle of bones
Old woman, heat, waste,
Life, existence
So much boils in my mind
We're so mad after things
Possessing and possessing
For two breads
And running a shanty
The woman waging war
In her twilight
Her muted existence
Told so many tales
So much pain
On one hand
Moments and days
Count the life
The whole life on the other
Torn by toil and hunger
This side we go
Eating and living
There death stares
Every moment
Swallowing life
The journey alike
For all guys
So different
But each rhythm !
And each step !
I pondered
The moment time looked
At the woman
It isn't at rest !

Harish Mamgain