Between The Two Choices Poem by Namita Rani Panda

Standing at the fork of a road
I was caught between two choices,
One was a highway
from which stemmed a byway,
The highway was looking brilliant with street lights,
sign boards and radium markers,
also it was wider, smoother and shiny with asphalt outlays
and lined with marked trees.
But the byway was less traversed
and full of humps and gully.
The highway was busy
with motor buses, stylist bikes and glistening cars,
people in gaudy suits glided smoothly
with no time to stand and stare.

Though the highway was alluring
I prefer to follow the bypass
and I chose to travel on foot
as I had little money to spare.
I stumbled and staggered to move forward
I watched nature in shades myriad,
enjoyed squirrels' games and listened to the birds
So, the journey to me was not at all hard.
No hurry to join the rat race,
so I walked with a tortoise's pace.
They drove fast in their brand-new cars
and earned wealth and fame and high status
while I lag behind as a mere poor teacher,
yet proud to nurture the citizens of future
and happy to be a builder of my great nation.
They lead luxurious life in their magnificent buildings
with garden full of exotic flora
But my garden is full of lively living flowers
with unique hues and odours
to enchant the world with their sweet aura.

But sometimes a few questions haunt me often,
Is my life better than theirs?
Was my decision wiser
When I decided to take the diversion?

My conscience says
"You have chosen the best profession
As no job can provide such full satisfaction,
You can see your saplings grown into full-fledged trees
Laden with fairer fragrant flowers
Whose fragrance fills the air!
You can see the lamps you have ignited spreading their lights
infinitely
Dispelling darkness around with their glare! "