◾ Pronab Mondal

The old withered man just watches, envying the energy displayed…

As the boy of only 5 innocent years, spends that energy to play…

He's a tired old man, and seasoned… no energy of his own…

Living a new life through the energy that vibrant boy brings home…

But that boy knows not of nature, and that old man conceives a plan..

Introduce a boy to nature, have Mother Nature hold his hand…

“Come ‘er boy” his broken voice crokes, “Sit here on Papa’s knee”...

Swallowed up by bright blues eyes staring curious… as the old man continues to speak…

“ Boy, you want to know what life is? Wanna learn how life can thrive? …

Well, let your Pappy share a treasure with you, how everything's ALIVE…” 

A tiny blow up raft, the old man and boy aboard…

Starts across the water, and the old man than speaks some more…

“See that eagle lad? Against the blue, carrying his prey within his beak…

That's a father feeding family, doing his job, earning his keep…

Look over there at the shoreline… see that squirrel gathering nuts…

Stocking up for the winter, again working for a cause…

Time to fish, you ready boy, gotta bait that hook…

We're like the eagle and the squirrel lad, you must turn and you must look…

That worms life is given to you by Jesus to help you feed your family…

We don't ever KILL any form of life Boy, unless we intend to feed…

It's not pretty and I know that, but sometimes need breads savagery…

But again we are not murdering, we only kill to feed… for need!”

 The boys pole in the water bends, his eyes open wider than the moon…

“Yank back hard then reel ‘em in” proud with tears in eyes an old man swoons…

The boy fights with all he has… must be a shark, a whale on the line…

The old man watching, smiling, knowing, the lessons learned tonight…

He pulls the massive 5 inch minnow into that blown up boat…

And a Young Boy stares to old man eyes, young eyes now filled with hope…

“Atta Boy!!!” The old man screams “But boy respect what this catch means…

You bow knee with me right now, and you thank Jesus for this feast…”

The Boy than stops the old man and says his very own prayer…

“Hello Jesus I'm your child, I love you, I know your there… 

Papa taught me today, about Mother Nature and your Earth…

I'm mystified with wonder lord, I love the peace I of my rebirth.. 

And respect that pieces of this nature will lay it's own life down for me…

If I respect the all of EVERYTHING nature will help me feed my family…

Thank you for this fish I caught, I'll take it home to Nana to eat…

Knowing my love and respect for nature, and you have given that to me…

Gotta go now Jesus, Papa has the boat packed in the truck…

I love you Jesus and Mother Nature… I will always send prayers up…”

As the boy buckles his seatbelt, an old man can only smile…

The lessons taught and learned today where DEFINITELY worthwhile…

He starts the truck with one last gaze to the young boy in the mirror…

An old man knowing he did his job, and in the boy that Mother Nature and Father God are clear!