Exalted

One fine day, 

and it must have been sunny, 

Thee visited the market. 

Thy mood breezy, indulgent.

The humdrum paused, 

as Thy regal cavalcade 

jaunted through.

Clusters of crowd, 

shouldering, shoving, squeezing. 

Oh! For Thy merciful glance,

for bountiful showers of Thy grace.

Thee too paused. 

Charmed by a parrot, 

squawking spiritedly. 

"Come, please come

Ram Ram ji" 

Thee listened. 

Thee smiled. 

Thee blessed.

" 'tis been taught well". 

Thee moveth.

A disciple stayed back. 

Steadfast devotee thinking, 

Thee has liked that parrot. 

That parrot should be with Thee. 

And so this devotee here

asks the shopkeeper dear, 

humbly, very humbly beseeches

to give him the macaw. 

The shopkeeper refuses.

Blunt, proud and bloated, his nays. 

A subtle play here. 

The disciple persisting, 

the shopkeeper declining,

and the parakeet squawking. 

The trade price rising. 

At length, driven by greed, 

the shopkeeper faltered.

Blinded, he floundered. 

Enslaved the patron's wife

and sightly sister too,

trading the tiny avian so. 

Not wavering in his faith, 

the adherent agrees,

his spouse and sister

volunteering for the service.

Smilingly sacrificing his ménage, 

he walked 

Towards Thy Palace. 

His token of love, oscillating joyously. 

In Thy court, 

pious chanting at eventide,

Thy eyes fixated at the door. 

And as he walks, 

the cage swinging by his side, 

Thee smiles knowingly. 

Thee caresses the gift gently. 

And asks for the price paid.

He folds his hands in answer, 

"a small souvenir

from Thy immense blessings" . 

And there in the background, 

chided by his wife for the folly, 

the shopkeeper comes crying.

Seeking pardon for his crime. 

Thee unlatches the cage. 

Squawking, the parakeet flies away. 

Liberated. 

Thy mercy be. 

Salvation for the sinner. 

Absolved.

Thy warm embrace,

bliss for the believer. 

Exalted.

Ever in Thy grace.