PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

There, right under the hackneyed lamppost, the old beggar sits on a shabby sack. That very sack is like a Persian aesthetic carpet to him. Today is rather special for him since his sweet daughter Asha has asked for a red saree from his father. Asha is a wonderful name that stands for ‘hope’.

Before leaving home, the old beggar has promised Asha that he will certainly buy her a beautiful saree. So far so good! He keeps on chanting the name of Allah over and over again. Some passers-by just look at him with no expression on their faces; some feel pity and throw a few coins on the sack.

Whenever the old beggar chants holy names, he keeps his eyes closed. It is not because he pretends to be a blind man; in fact, he does it out of his extreme love and reverence for the Almighty and the holy prophets.

The old beggar wishes that the hoarding is better than any other day since he has a promise to keep. It is almost nine p.m. in the evening now. There are hardly any passers-by to be seen. He decides to leave as soon as possible.

The old beggar thinks about purchasing the saree from the nearest shop. He must make haste as it is already late. While rushing towards that certain shop, he keeps on counting the notes. Obviously, he is more than happy since he holds quite a good amount of money in his hands.

As the old beggar moves along, he also thinks of buying a chicken. It has been long since the impoverished family tasted chicken. He decides not to beg tomorrow since he has been suffering from fever and the hoarded amount will keep the family moving for at least two successive days.

Out of the blue, a bunch of young thugs stops him on a secluded bridge. They are six in number holding knives. The place is dark like coal. The old beggar has burst into tears. He is crying like a baby as if his eyes turned into endless fountains.

 The old beggar knows it well that if he shouts, there is hardly anyone to hear. Besides, his life will be at risk because those goons will not think twice before taking his life away. One of the thugs, perhaps the leader, steps forward. His face can not be seen clearly because of the darkness around. However, he says,

- Old man, give me whatever you have and leave the place silently like a ghost!

- I beg of you son, let me leave; I am just a beggar. My family will perish if you snatch whatever little amount I have.

- I do not care about your family. Let it go to hell. I do not want to take it forcibly. Just hand it over to me quickly.

- Please, my son! Please! Have mercy on this poor soul! 

            At that very moment, the leader takes all the money that the old beggar has and leaves the place pushing him hard. The next day, the old beggar discovers himself on the hospital bed. His wife and daughter are there. He weeps on and on, so does each of the family members. The old beggar is dejected most because he has not been able to keep the promise that he made in the previous day to her daughter. Asha has passionately held his father’s hand. The old beggar says nothing to anyone as if he lost his power of speaking! He asks himself, “Why does this happen to us, why?” Finds no answer...