Sunday, January 16, 2011

Two Brothers of Contrast

When I was young

Working abroad
In a country down under
I met two sweet elderly
Gentlemen in their
Early sixties

They used to
Visit their mum
In her eighties
In a frozen state
Of mind and physique
In a clockwork
Precision

Their encounter
With their mum
Unable to express
Any feelings
Was a very sorry
State of affairs
Which
I could not bear myself
Or manage

Yet they did come
Day after day
In clockwise precision
To hold her hands
In frozen state

I always wished
I could be
Like one of them
If the need arises
But one day
She said good bye
And I did my part
And promptly
Attended to the formal
Paper work

I was very
Happy
That they could
Now
Attend to their
Own life
But for 20 odd years
They were coming and going
In untold pain
How could they forget
Their mum?

Yet,
I come to this
So called Buddhist State
I knew of a brother
Who wised his mother dead
Sooner than late
So he could get on
With his life
In private

That was a country
Under Christian Faith
But this is
A country
Of wonderful
Buddhist Compassion
Quite a contrast
To my likings
Would I go back
To my roots
Here
Or there
Is my dilemma?