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Daisy

Shakti Pada Mukhopadhyay

Scorching Sun is flinging fire everywhere.
Lands are looking parched, cracked and gloomy.
The scraggy cow Daisy is tethered for sale near
the house of Jack. Daisy looks skinny
with visible ribs. Winnowing is not over and hays are
not sorted in the fields. Hunger looms large
on the face of Daisy. But Jack fails to feed her,
as droughts have made him indigent.

The Zamindar comes to buy Daisy
as a milch-cow. Jack slaps her back and Daisy reciprocates
by smoothing her neck and closing her eyes in pleasure.
Tears roll down Jack’s cheeks and Daisy’s back gets
soaked. Wiping his tears from Daisy’s back,
Jack bids adieu for Daisy’s new shed.
But Daisy tries to gore and Zamindar’s man fears
to get her, till Jack takes her to her new place.

Leaving her at the Zamindar’s place,
he doesn’t look back for Daisy’s low.

After a few years, Daisy turns milk-less.
Zamindar plans to butcher her and the news
makes Jack mad. He comes fast
to save her and falls on obstinate
Zamindar’s feet. Jack then offers himself
as a bonded labor, to till the lands with plough, in place
of Daisy. Zamindar accedes to his appeal.
Tears roll down Daisy’s cheeks,
as Jack moves to till the lands,
with plough on his shoulder like a beast.

Slavery of Jack is paid as a penance,
for the cruelties committed on animals.

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