Just Another Father

He lived never caring for god He lived 24x7 serving the suffering Taught himself to keep awake Reading a book into the early hours; What if somebody knocked at the door In a bout of high fever or pain In spire of his wife's constant advice That he should care for other things He never really tried; even times he tried He ended up in mess Enjoyed the company of young neices n nephews More than the peer group; Never smoked in elder brother's presence Though the brother maintained a respectable silence over it Allowed his daughters to make their choices in life But in later years regretted that They too are like him not belonging To the here n now but his Impractical idealism rubbed off on them... Ah, can such a person ever be ignored In today's world of cut throat competition? During his last months His lips were always found Mumbling prayers in the way He himself knew for he knew Neither the scriptures nor the rituals...