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.
