By: Dr. Archan Mehta

 

Career  Counseling 

___

Listen:

You are destined

To become a doctor,

Engineer or lawyer.

If nothing else, we

Envision you as a

Chartered accountant

Or MBA degree holder.

Come on,

Pull up your socks

And work hard to

Earn a living. By the way,

While you are at it, please

Keep this in mind:

A neurosurgeon is socially

Virtuous and earns big bucks.

Practice wearing a stethoscope

And a long, flowing, white uniform

And start ministering to the needs

Of patients even if you don’t

Have any. After all, this is

The right choice for you and

The right thing to do. God forbid,

We don’t want you to be “creative.”

After all, artists end up in the

Dust of poverty and die penniless

In open gutters. Therefore, we

Can’t have you pursuing literature

And creative writing. Writing is a

Waste of valuable time, money and energy.

Instead,

Find a real job and get your

Hands dirty, so you receive

A regular paycheck at

The end of the month.

After all, we are all wise people

And know what’s best for you. You

Just look confused and don’t have

A clue as to what you will do

For the rest of your life. It

Is time to make a decision now.

Come on,

Snap out of your reverie: grow up.

Look up: the sky is blue

And so are you. Live in the

Real world and not a fantasy

Wonder-land. Stop dreaming

And get your feet wet. Pass our test.

Else, end up as a pest. Join

The rest of the human race.

This is your fate,

So don’t be late.

 

 

Wise People

+

It is silly to

write poetry.

Instead, get a

real job, put your

shoulder to the wheel

and earn a living.

The goal of a human being

is to make as much

money as possible,

as soon as possible,

and shop till you drop.

Nothing else matters.

If your creativity

doesn’t sell in the market,

what use is it?

Open your eyes.

It is time to smell

the coffee–the writing

is on the wall.

The wise people,

gathered inside

the conference room,

talked in one voice.

I listened, ignored

their comments, and

continued to create poetry.

The rest is history.

 

Poet’s Lament?

+

In the end,

All that matters

Is poetry.

When a person dies,

People will ask:

Did he create poetry?

Did he share his

Poetry with the masses?

Did people sing his

Songs in runaway trains

And overcrowded buses

And sinking ships?

Did lovers start their

Weddings with his lyrics?

Did just one person

Recite his songs

At sombre funerals?

Did his poems stay

Alive in public memory?

Did his poems move

The masses to tears and laughter?

Was there peace and

Harmony to be found

In the here and after?

_

Swan Song

+

If you feel like

Searching for me,

You will find me

Among the rose gardens

And the faint glimmer

Of sunshine in your heart.

On the other hand,

I am not here.

I am not there.

I am not anywhere.

I don’t exist to

Chase after money

Or material pursuits,

But to savor each passing

Moment as if it is

My last, dying breath.

When the sun starts

To set in the evening,

You will find me

Playing a harp and

Dancing merrily atop

Clouds stretching toward eternity.

 

Bio: Dr. Archan Mehta

 

Archan Mehta has earned a PhD in Management. Currently, Dr. Mehta is a Consultant and Writer: he is based in India. Over the years, Dr. Mehta’s works have appeared in several publications, such as American Poetry Anthology, Poets United to Advance the Arts, The Times of India, The Indian Express, Mid-Day, and Onlooker.

In his free time, Dr. Mehta likes to stroll in the outdoors, listen to music, party with close friends, and read. 

Please feel free to reach out to the poet at archanm@hotmail.com or through LinkedIn.