WHETHER – ruba’i

WHETHER--– ruba’i


Whether a credit card or the bank notes do I need?
Do I need to rest or do I need to work, pay heed?
Those who want to work, let them; those who want rest, may rest.
I prefer to be idle; let others work indeed.

Whether I should miss comforts, whether have booze and dope?
Whether I need drugs because I can’t, without them, cope?
I am depraved and depressed, I can’t do without these.
Others not be addicted, so earnestly I hope.

Whether be an atheist or remember Him when down,
Though an atheist praying would look rather like a clown?
Whether god is there or not, the thought does give succor.
In thoughts of his existence, why should I myself drown?

Often it’s difficult to decide this way or that.
In such times it’s better to follow one’s own diktat.


* Written in Ruba'i form, using 13-13-13-13 format. A ruba’i is a four line quatrain with aaba rhyme scheme. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruba%27i. I have written it as a 14 line poem consisting of 3 ruba'i quatrains and a couplet, on the lines of a sonnet.


M C Gupta
8 January 2008