The Happy Man Died

Early in the morning I saw Him taking a glassful of water From the pitcher at the corner of the room He made us sit in the bed Terrified By his guttural gargling And coughing in between like The sound an ox made When chased and beaten I never saw him falling ill Never saw him complaining about Half cooked rice mother served When he was back from work He played with the calves and country dogs Ran behind them like a child Pulling their mouths to his chest Hugging and caressing them at their necks He was found dead one morning He looked as if he was in a deep sleep No commotion, no vomiting, no opened eyes No one could guess the cause Mourners said his body took A whole day to burn and turn into ashes No one believed that death could come so sudden