Induced

Last night an angel

Whispered into my ears

I thought it was a dream

But

It was his tender touch

The rustling of his wings

 A little flutter and then…

He vanished

From my sight

No, it was not a dream

I heard a deep sigh

And found him beside me

A mournful tear rolled down his cheek

 I turned around… and he was gone

I saw him standing

With outstretched arms

Waiting for me

I wondered why he disappeared

Every time I sought to seek his hand

There standing at the doorway

He beckoned me again

I tiptoed and crossed the threshold

He bid me follow and as if in dream

I unlocked the door and stepped out

He took me to the meek, the poor

Who lay uncovered, uncared for

With hunger writ upon their faces

Then the angel turned around

To see if I was walking too

 His gaze fell upon those half-dead trees

That lay desperate without their leaves

The barks were gashed, ripped and bleeding

If only eyes could see… their pain

The mutilated branches

Sighed in vain

A tear rolled down their eyes

 Ah! If only … man could see

I staggered at the mess I beheld

The sorrowful plight of trees

The angel struggled to hold back a tear

He sighed… and led me on

To the devastated forest life

That lay shattered in chaos

Jungles cut and naked lay

Some hutments drowned in agony

The twittering birds no longer sang

The melody that rang so true

The jungle life, the sacred life

Just lay scattered too

The beasts of jungle no longer roared

Their jaws were sealed with pain

The lazy hunts were scary now

A weird whisper rang so true

I closed my eyes,

I locked my hands

To see the angel true

 He stifled a cry and closed his eyes

And

Disappeared into the blue

                                                              ~Shobha Diwakar

                                                                Jabalpur, India