Friday, September 3, 2010

The Mousetrap(s)

You’re a rat.
It doesn’t mean
That I’m not one.
In fact, we are all rats.
Ah! The sense of unity,
No, the knowledge that all
Are equally distressed.
Nothing comforts like that.

By the way, it’s not about
Reveling in universal brotherhood
Or sisterhood. (You know, I don’t want
To make anybody feel left out.)
It’s about mousetrap, mousetraps to
Be precise; each outgrowing the other
Or belittling. Now, don’t rush for my
Jugular; it’s relative and is about attitude.
I mean what to call it; outgrowing or belittling.
Excuse me once again for beating around the bush.
See, I’m not focused. My Maths teacher used to say that.

Anyway, let’s come to the point. We are all trapped.
There are mousetraps of various sizes. We move from
One to the other. We are always excited to move, from one
To the other. But then, gradually we feel the confinement.
Then, it’s time to move to a bigger one. Now, you know why
We always feel bored at each stage and wait for the new ones.
Don’t you? You rat.

7 comments:

Riju Paulose said...

Are you joining the agency called 'Elippathayam'? :)

anilkurup59 said...

I guess you alluded to man's insatiable appetite for more of every thing. And end up in bigger traps- mouse traps!

Balachandran V said...

I am reminded of a character in Graham Greene's 'Travels with my Aunt'. This man was a obsessive traveler in his better days; he believed that moving constantly from one place to another extended his lifespan. He said that when stationary, days moved fast and when on the move, vice versa. As he became old and movements were restricted, he settled in a house with 21 rooms, stayed/slept in one room a day, moved out with luggage to the next room and so on, imagining himself to be travelling across the world!

There is only one trap; that is one's self. I am not philosophizing. It is the self that builds mousetraps of different sizes and force oneself to believe that one is free. Once you are free from self, all the traps vanish!

And finally, do not denigrate rats. Look at them, they are THE survivors, the literal and figurative RATS! ;)

P. Venugopal said...

Stinged all the way reading it, being asked to look at the whole thing that way. What power Arun! Nastily direct!

Sumi Mathai said...

experimenting huh,rat? :)
i like. and gotta say every time i read a poem of urs i cant help wondering y didn u start writing earlier, say wen u started the blog itself! haa better late than never. now dont stop writing ok. let it flow!

Arun Meethale Chirakkal said...

Riju: How about starting one? No client ever leaves; whoever comes in is perennially trapped. Let’s rope in Jubin as well!

AK: Partially so. Other than that, even each stage in life is a trap in itself, isn’t it? Thanks a lot for your comment.

Balan Sir: Thanks a lot for the wonderful comment. I may reach that level you are talking about one day. Is it all about survival? :)

Venu Chettan: Thanks for the appreciation. You know it better; the power of words when it’s direct and stripped of embellishments and niceties.

Sumi: Yes, rat :) Thanks a lot for the nice words.

kaalpanique said...

quite enjoyed that... life is a mouse trap. and death is a release. unless you learn to live in the moment..the wheel of life rolls on...

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