Man in Greed

Man in Greed

P K Routray

To possess gold

a man’s greed grew many fold.

Many plans pondered, he over

more gold, how would he plunder?

Best method, he was told

to pray and meditate the Almighty God,

as a boon he will ask for it

then on gold he will stand, sleep and sit

Around him gold would glitter and shine

With joy and power the earth he would reign.

King, monarch and common will come running to him

He would behave and deal with them as per his whim.

Without delay he started propitiating God with penance,

taking pity on him God graced him with His benign presence.

Understood He the man’s purpose of prayer, hence offered him a boon

that anything he could ask as a boon including the sun and the moon

The greedy man, within a moment with hands in fold

“Please grant me a boon that whatever I touch should turn to gold”

The God granted the boon and to heaven He vanished

the greedy man danced with joy as everything went on as he wished

The man ran to his garden touched many a tree, fruit and flower,

everything turned to gold thanks to the boon’s power.

but his joy was short lived as his touch turned his food to gold

when his hunger was at its height giving him sufferings untold.

His loved daughter ran to him and hugged him planting a kiss,

Lo behold the lovely human child turned gold and her life did vanish.

Story we finish here not telling what happened further,

but arrived at a conclusion on the end of greed as bitter.