The city is a concrete jungle.
Where he flocked in to lead a "better" life
But ended in holing up in his own nest
Among the several thousands of nests
That people call "apartments"
The supermarkets and malls display enticing ads.
So do the large hoardings placed on the roadside.
The neon and led lights illuminate the busy commercial streets.
Everyone is desperate to make his life better.
Everybody is so willing to quench his materialistic thirst
World-class apartments and luxury cars,
Foreign vacations and designer dresses.
The temptation is irresistible.
How much ahead is he from his friends, relatives and neighbours?
The rat race that began from the age of five seems never ending.
The whole day he was able to keep himself occupied -
Browsing net, checking FaceBook and WhatsApp
Getting to know what others did and said and felt;
How others are enjoying their life.
He wonders, if its only he who is fighting to live another day?
At day's end, just like the birds,
He returns to his own nest
In some remote corner of the city
Far away from the maddening mob -
Miles away from the cacophony of the crowd.
He realises that the whole day he was running -
Running away from himself, from truth.
But, at the dead of night when he can hear his heart beat,
He can also hear the voice from his soul.
And this time he cannot run away from it
"What do you gain by pushing and shoving and racing the whole day, the whole life?"
"You are becoming a robot - mechanical and heartless!"
"At the end of the life you will realise you ran behind mirages of material happiness!"
He hates to hear these words every night.
The voices which inside him grows louder each day!
He doesn't want to hear them for he has no answer.
It has been decades that he pondered about the purpose of his life
The city life does not allow him to.
Somewhere in the concrete jungle he forgot the simple mantras to enjoy life.
All he has mastered in the last few years is the art of mindless running.
Where he flocked in to lead a "better" life
But ended in holing up in his own nest
Among the several thousands of nests
That people call "apartments"
The supermarkets and malls display enticing ads.
So do the large hoardings placed on the roadside.
The neon and led lights illuminate the busy commercial streets.
Everyone is desperate to make his life better.
Everybody is so willing to quench his materialistic thirst
World-class apartments and luxury cars,
Foreign vacations and designer dresses.
The temptation is irresistible.
How much ahead is he from his friends, relatives and neighbours?
The rat race that began from the age of five seems never ending.
The whole day he was able to keep himself occupied -
Browsing net, checking FaceBook and WhatsApp
Getting to know what others did and said and felt;
How others are enjoying their life.
He wonders, if its only he who is fighting to live another day?
At day's end, just like the birds,
He returns to his own nest
In some remote corner of the city
Far away from the maddening mob -
Miles away from the cacophony of the crowd.
He realises that the whole day he was running -
Running away from himself, from truth.
But, at the dead of night when he can hear his heart beat,
He can also hear the voice from his soul.
And this time he cannot run away from it
"What do you gain by pushing and shoving and racing the whole day, the whole life?"
"You are becoming a robot - mechanical and heartless!"
"At the end of the life you will realise you ran behind mirages of material happiness!"
He hates to hear these words every night.
The voices which inside him grows louder each day!
He doesn't want to hear them for he has no answer.
It has been decades that he pondered about the purpose of his life
The city life does not allow him to.
Somewhere in the concrete jungle he forgot the simple mantras to enjoy life.
All he has mastered in the last few years is the art of mindless running.
