A Diwali Reflection: Mercy

A Diwali Reflection: Mercy 

Amidst the grandeur of a bustling boulevard,

Bathed in the golden glow of Diwali's light,

Echoed laughter, joy, and festivity,

As the crowd rejoiced in pure delight.

Children clamored for sweets and firecrackers,

Merriment swirled like a festive tune,

Yet, in the midst of this radiant splendor,

Stood a boy—silent, alone, marooned.

His gaze wandered through the jubilant throng,

Eyes brimming with longing and despair,

His face bore the dust of forgotten dreams,

A soul unseen, a fate unfair.

While hands reached for treats with careless glee,

None spared a glance for the boy so small,

Oblivious, they reveled in indulgence,

As if he did not exist at all.

I longed to step towards him, to extend a hand,

But as I crossed the bustling street,

A fragment of jalebi slipped from grasp,

Landing near the boy's weary feet.

A flicker of joy lit up his face,

Like a lotus blooming in murky tide,

Yet, just as he bent to claim the morsel,

A tiny pup arrived at his side.

Without a moment's hesitation,

He placed the sweet in the puppy's maw,

Then turned away, retreating slowly,

Back into shadows, lost in awe.

I stood there frozen, words unspoken,

Tears welling in my helpless gaze,

For in that fleeting, selfless moment,

I had witnessed a heart ablaze.

Returning home with a heavy soul,

A silent ache, a stifled cry,

Why had I watched, yet failed to act?

Why had I let him pass me by?

We claim the world, divide the lands,

For power, wealth, and selfish ends,

Yet here was a boy with nothing to spare,

Still willing to share, still willing to mend.

He had no books, no grand degrees,

No guiding hand to lead the way,

Yet in that act of silent kindness,

He taught a lesson words can't say.

For wisdom lies not in learned halls,

Nor in riches, nor in pride's embrace,

But in the hearts that give without measure—

A love the world cannot replace.