Redistributing Love

She would have been 65-70 years old...

In a parallel universe, 

She would have been resting on a cot,

Immersed in a sad teleserial...

But the present universe was harsher

It was working towards making her reality sad - 

Not her pastime. 

She slowly walked around the bus terminus asking for alms

All that the people could offer were silent and rude 'No's...

I wished for a new nation to be formed

That accepted people's denials as a currency

Wouldn't that place be a paradise for beggars and one-sided lovers?

Having received nothing, the old woman

Walked towards a roadside eatery with plain hope

The owner of the eatery looked at her empty hands and smirked

Perhaps he was smirking at our empty hearts

Perhaps he was smirking at the excess-embracing economy

He then handed her a plate with a few scoops of rice...

The old woman walked towards us 

And sat down to have her lunch with us

She took a handful of rice and searched through the crowd

Spotting a little girl, she called out to her and offered her food...

The girl's mother was terrified 

And she tightened her grip on her daughter's hand

Also imprinting a picture in the girl's mind 

That all strangers were dangerous...

The old woman called out again

Her hand filled with food

Her face filled with compassion

But the crowd that was not willing to offer

Was also not willing to receive...

That day, standing there in the bus terminus, 

I longed for a communist movement to be started - 

Not just for the redistribution of wealth

But also for the redistribution of love...

How beautiful and fair would the world be 

If every person could receive the same amount of love he/she was willing to offer?