O, OLD AGE!
B. Indira Kumari
O, Old Age! How avaricious thou art!
Thou hastbecome so lean and feeble
And trodden down by infirmities inevitable
Knowest well that thy span of life is short
Yet for longevity thou longest
In grumbling for suffering all time thou wastest
“Better to die soon” so outwardly thou sayest
But the word ‘Death’ it self keeps in shudder thine heart
Not a second thou thinkest of God
But like the learned one dost speak of trnsience of the world
Then never repentest for time misspent
But dost find fault with every thing of the present.
O’ poor thing! Stop complaining against mere nothing
And teach yourself how to bear everything.
Despair not, cheer up, and with discrimination
Make best use of the little bit of time yet lying unseen.
Have faith in God, the almighty lord of the universe
Who alone is the source of support dost thou now need
Dwell in him always, relying on nothing else
And let thy self enjoy peace and bliss in life.