Ode to the Waiting Earth

What makes us move
Through life
Day by day
Moment by moment -
Thoughts-feelings-action
Unchanged even as nature
Turns day into night?
As the sun sets
Birds cry overhead
Searching for a perch
In the overcrowded
Tree-tops.
While homeless man
Creeps under the same trees
Hoping it will not rain.
But nature is ruthless
When it comes to life
And death.
Head-lights of traffic
Fight their way
Towards home, towards final
Destination.
But home is only temporary
When death comes
Where will we go?
Heaven or hell or somewhere
In-between?
Or will nature act the politician
Causing a road block
Making us do a U-turn
Back into the arms of our
Mother
The Waiting Earth..?

By Punyakante Wijenaike, Colombo 7.