A Bolted Gate Poem by Showkat Ahmad Wani

He screams for bowl of rice at chained gate,
With storms of flight within his weary eyes,
And rows of yearnings burning in his soul,
He grants his life to children, love to wife,
Yet bore the weight of fate's unyielding grin
From smell of death and fist of sun from night
And saffron rose from marsh and take in eyes
An ocean fresh from striking fire to drink,
Their lips have never warmed crumb of bread,
For times gate is shut; for hours, he screams,
The only gate he pounds, his only cry
He cries, the only hope he aims and yelps
With endless hopeful looks to hear his voice,
For ages stands, for ages cries and waits,
And carves faiths new, at gate, the old.
(1 Jan,2016)