Fired Up by a Thought

Fired up by the thought that a vitamin can heal,

she woke up that morning and prepared for a meal.

Some eggs with some vegetables,

some fruits in a bowl.

And a pot-full of porridge

to nourish her soul.

**

As she stood in her kitchen, her heart beat so fast.

Why am I anxious? She looked inwards and asked.

She narrowed her eyes at all the colors of food,

She was royal with blessings

of what God had imbued.

**

And yet her breath quickened,

and she pathetically cried.

Tears that shrunk blessings of all she denied.   

She knew she was foolish, and just far too compelled

to burden her shoulders

with what her heart could’ve held.

**

You’re human, you err, your gratitude runs cold

You just can’t do it all; you’re getting too old.

Go walk near the shore, get your vitamin Sea.

Today’s sun is hot, steal its vitamin D!

**

Pack the colors away, all this health you prepared.

What good is it anyway if it cannot be shared?

She wore a summer dress

and combed her bangs down

to hide the crease on her forehead –

her long-lasting frown. 

**

As she wriggled the key to lock her small door,

an old neighbor greeted her from the same floor:

“You’re leaving the house? But where is your mask? 

And why don’t you wear it when it’s no such big task?

Society expects that you think with your head.

Don’t be so selfish!

And be mindful instead!”

**

He half-smiled to disguise his judgmental scorn.

“I know!” She said brusquely, “I wasn’t just born!”

**

But the actual truth was that she completely forgot

of the virus going ‘round and the havoc it brought.

Why would I wear a mask

against the mist of the sea?

Has everyone gone mad!?

Or is it really just me?

**

She admitted to herself that she was VERY annoyed,

At all the freedom in living that this virus destroyed.

She angrily wriggled her key

back into its hole.

It’s been hanging there prudent

of the liberty it stole.  

**

And when she was back in,

she stopped right where she stood, 

Her cooking from that morning smelled unusually good!

The sage tea in her cup was still warm and hot.

The porridge was creamier, all set in its pot.

**

Does it matter that she’s lonely, or irrationally scared? 

In the walls of her house, where her face can be bared?

**

Who’s judging me now, besides the man next door?

Who’s keeping a tally, who’s writing the score?

**

No one, was the answer, no one said a word

to answer the queries and the questions unheard.

She sat on her table, and she had a good meal.

She swallowed the right feelings

that she could not feel.

**

And when she was full with vitamins and all,

she felt her gut shrivel and curl up to a ball.

The food in her stomach felt like a big rock.

She bent over her table, unable to walk.

**

It was her pride against the neighbor today,

which ruined her plans and compelled her to stay.

It was always a problem, this anger and pride

It pulled her so high and then flung her aside.

**

So what can I do? She thought again to herself.

She crawled to the living room towards the bookshelf.

She closed her eyes and said, Please give me a sign

I need a final remedy, one answer that’s mine.

**

She ran her clammy fingers along all of the books,

of dreamers and healers, and doctors and crooks.  

And then her hand stopped on one of their spines,

the title read: “Quran”, The Big Book of Signs!

**

She opened and read the first thing she saw,

it must hold the truth, it will have no flaw:

“And they give food, in spite of love

for it, to the needy”*

She smiled then she laughed,

for of course she’s been greedy! 

**

Here she’s been, entitled,

each day and night,

to the pain of the world,

to its struggle and plight.

She kept saying daily she was all alone,

as she read who’s been dying

through the screen of her phone.

**

She looked up from the Book, her stomach felt lighter.

She can be a better person and a charitable fighter.

She ran to the kitchen

to cook some savoury meat.

For she thought it might be

what her neighbor liked to eat.

**

She boiled it in cinnamon, and some onions and cloves.

She defrosted in the oven some wholesome baked loaves.

She made a large sandwich,

with pulled meat and a sauce,

And made shapes on the bread

cut like a crisscross.

**

She then took some cherries, and made a red tea.

And she wrote on a card: “For your trip to the sea”.

She bagged all the food, and went down the hall.

She wore mittens as gloves

and made a mask from a shawl.

**

She rang the man’s doorbell,

and when he opened the door.

She smiled with her eyes,

and put the food on the floor.

**

“You seemed a little hungry, or just edgy to me.

Earlier when you saw me

I was leaving to the sea.

I was a bit hasty, and it didn’t cross my mind

That I’m oblivious to reality, or just feign to be blind.”

**

He looked at the bag and said,

“You cooked that for me?

I am not that hungry!

But I know who might be!

Would you come down with me for a little stroll?

And with that he wore his mask and grabbed a big bowl.

**

She didn’t know what to say, but she was curious to see,

What did this man want to teach a foolish girl like me?

**

They went down the steps

and strolled out in the sun,

She walked fast behind him,

she almost had to run!

Outside in the valley, there was one skinny dog.

He whistled to call her over while he stood on a log.

**

She came to sit beside him, right next to his heel,

“She’s pregnant and she’s dying, she might need a meal,

I have no leftovers

and my car ran out of gas,

I was thinking the whole time

of this poor little lass!

So I hope you don’t mind if I give her your food,

I would feel so guilty, if I just sit and brood.

Old people have their ways at the end of their life.

She always used to say this, before death took my wife.”

**

“I don’t mind at all, for I really wanted to feed

someone who misses kindness, or just someone in need.”

**

Before the girl consented,

he had already knelt down,

so absorbed in his offering,

with his undying frown.

**

He tore apart the sandwich,

and carefully took the meat,

He rubbed away the sauce

as the dog drooled by his feet.

**

“Smells good!

But I’m glad that this sandwich isn’t mine.

I don’t eat meat because fat

is not good for my spine.

And I must tell you young lady,

giving is a selfish act.

You’re the only one in need out here,

and that’s a firm fact!”

**

The dog wolfed down the savory meat

within a minute or two.

In the meantime the girl was thinking

of how much his words were true.

**

They walked back up together,

not much for them to say.

He went into his flat and said:

“It’s time for my nap today.”

He half-smiled his scornful smile

but this time it was fine.

She now knows what a scorn may look like

when a heart breaks through it to shine.

**

No matter the servings of vitamins,

a body cannot heal.

It needs a will that comes from the gut,

and a humble desire to kneel.

It needs a mind that dares to think

beyond its metal wall.

It needs a faith that’s hard to break

to catch you when you fall.    

*Quran 76:8