Rhyme time
Mortal error

He stood there squandered and

forlorn

All his sinews had given up

his heart, torn

His mean attire — shirt tattered

and pantaloons old

Clung to him, as the sun turned a

burnished gold

He remembered the days when

he was young

His life toward money, he had

always flung

His mind was a tempest then

and he could not wait

No sum had been enough,

and for more, he would salivate

Then he got bound in holy

matrimony, one day

But his soul went out to where

his vindictive mistress lay

His wife soon conceived his blood but he found no delight

He could only bask in the glory of his wealth from dawn to last light

His children never learnt what

a father’s love meant

He worked toward his quest till late each day, be it Christmas or Lent

But now, he is fallen, old and

withered

He knew he had wasted his life

running after what glittered

Little did he know what true

wealth had been in his life

It was the priceless smile of his

children, the warm hug of his wife

He cried his heart out as his

hearse progressed ahead

He repented his mortal folly

and with agony, he said

"If only I could undo my mortal faults

How I wish time just halts"

His heart cried for his family

to be back

Till the sun set for him, and

everything turned black

Sahajbir Uppal, XI, Yadavindra Public School, Patiala