The Annoying Child

Today I heard a child cry,

In a quiet temple where I sat,

I watched the parents fuss over him,

He was bitten by an ant,

He cried and cried,

As if it was the end of him,

His cries got louder and my patience ran thin,

He was stealing my silence,

The quiet corner where I attempted to meditate deep,

The sound of his cries stole my peace,

I was annoyed at first,

Maybe because I don’t have children of my own,

What did I know of his fears?

Except that he could cry louder than anyone I had ever heard,

But that’s not true,

And a slow smile escaped my lips,

Isn’t that’s how I howl when you are far away?

The child left still crying, of course,

The clouds got greyer and nearer,

The wind twirled madly,

The trees clapped and cheered,

My friends didn’t mind your absence,

It’s I who missed having you by my side at the lake.

Photo courtesy - The Song Of The Sufi Masroof