The Death Of A Boatman Poem by Konalli Rajeev Naik

The household head
And the boatman
He was both
Like a two headed coin.
A quiet canoeist
Of household matter
And an oarsman
Ferrying people across his river.

But upon the passing
Of the head
The bereaved felt worn out
Rivers of mourning tears
Rolled down their cheeks.

The bereaved viewed
Bathed body of the deceased,
Adorned Tulsi beads around neck,
Together tightly tied big toes,
Prayer position of deceased's palms,
Hot rice balls placed around,
Fight of earhern pot's fire flame
With the violent Monsoon storm,
Wrapped body in white cloth
All mourning the loss of the head

Deceased's left behind wife
Was like a fading lonely oar
Alas! No longer alive to travel
By my newly purchased steamboat
Wet eyed son lamented in deep pain.

Then the final journey reciting prayers
On the bank of his mourning river
Ashes were gently poured into water
Where he had ferried people across the river.

A Poem by Konalli Rajeev Naik