Realization

To wake us up
early in the morning
we put the cock in a coop

To safeguard the house
and follow us around, wagging its tail
we chained and tamed the dog

To  speak, play with, and tell fortune
we locked up the parrot

to sing and learn its song
we caged the koel as well for many years..

The free, proud tusker of the forest
we put in trenches- then tamed & chained
for celebrating temple festivals

We held the mother cow captive
cheated her calf of milk
so that we can enjoy it everyday!

We made beehives for bees
only to finally kill & take their honey
feels so sweet doesn't it
to take away the efforts of so many
 made for so many days?

Multi coloured birds we caged
to see and enjoy at leisure

As a decoration for the house
we got fancy cute fishes
trapped in fish tanks! 

Yet, aren't we sitting at home today
sans joy, happiness
a tiny, yet powerful Corona
has enslaved and tied us down
to our houses! 

It has provided us realization  of
what it is like to be free without freedom
realization of what trivial creatures we are
seen against the great, vast universe

what trivial creatures we really are....

NB: This is my attempt at translation of a very powerful Malayalam poem  "Thiricharivu" written by poet V.P Srikant Nair set to music and sung by renowned singer Kavalam sreekumar.