Buffalo

Who wears leather in this warm weather?

Only us colonized and the buffalo–

Thus I muse , in navy uniform and heavy shoes

As reluctantly to school I go.

The blazing sun melts the tar on the street

As a stray buffalo , on her old splayed feet,

Ambles ahead of me and anyone can see,

How patiently she can bear the vagaries of man.

Much later, during history class,

When teacher and ceiling fan both droned on,

I learned about gurukuls– those ancient schools-

Before regimentation had caught on.

Idly I looked through the window and saw-

That old buffalo chewing the cud,

Shaded by the flowering, fragrant neem.

Her hooves sunk in the cool brown mud!

Comfortable in her skin, thinking her own thoughts,

She was happier than her masters on this earth,

We still agonise over  trifles-food and clothes,

Very few realizing our potential, our true worth!