A Hymn for Happiness

What is it that's truly mine – for I do not belong to my body.

Am I just a slave to my tongue, feet, hand and a dishevelled face,

Or just another head in search of a lazy yet peaceful rest!

A head tired of running around on this hamster wheel –

Knowing for well that in the end, all is Yours, and nothing belongs to me,

And that You will snatch it all away anything that I can sense, see touch and feel,

Anything that I ever thought existed, and everything that defined this being.

What fun do You get then in playing Your little games that shatter the idea of who I am?

In progressively snatching away things that I hold dear, or exist in my vicinity.

May be I was not a staunch follower of the rule-book by which Your children pray - 

Yet, You let me have what I craved for, and naively that I accepted as Your divine grace.

But when interest accrued on any of Your loaned assets that I thence treasured –

You snatched it all away at the end –

Leaving me worse than what I ever knew of being "broken".

Even when You forget and forsake me – as You shower Your grace on those who deserve,

And let me float as a message in a bottle unspoken and unheard on this ocean of despair,

I will seek out "Happiness" – even till now, I don't realize what that means for me.

But till then in this world, I will pretend to be happy even if it means curving my lips.

And evermore, I will be drenched in Your name and I will be enchanted with Your forgetfulness

And I will comfort my wretched soul as one who is born as an example of perseverance.

Just for my curiosity, I will always seek to know my karmic debt.

And to be Your favourite child, I pine to know how many births will I ever take.

For even when You turn away Your merciful face in these days of intense gloom,

Know that my vexed heart will always bear for You - love as I progressively face my doom.

But at least, O Mother! let Your silhouette be by my side, even as You look the other way,

For I will always know that my Mother is there beside me, though as always, She is dismayed!