Ode On Old Virtues - I Poem by Aniruddha Pathak

Ode on old virtues - I

O Virtue, an old wine of vague value,
Admired art thou by vintners nary more,
Nor by old adherents that take time's cue,
Old values increasingly make old lore.

Watch new high-fliers that surface from shores—
Go-getters getting tonnes in rare offers,
Of tiger stripes, leopard's spots, goodly roars,
Decibels backed by millions in coffers!

If they were no such maniacs, odd men out,
Would they be such a face they are today?
Would biggies of big brag be of such clout?
Would scandal-prone leaders rule rural lay?

Their triumphs tainted get painted no lean,
Can this wipe out a single sorry trait?
Rare if success comes to a chaste Brahmin,
Commerce of big bucks makes today's big bait.

Flavours are felt all across fields sans guilt:
Be it movies, business, brands, even books,
Money's the recipe that whatso cooks,
Reputations from worst of ruins are built.

Careers are made, unmade by latest hit,
Best sellers lone take authors to the crest,
Dough drives like not else, may you grin or grit, Old values make sense but to men modest.

Few can recall a MENSA-topping boy,
Who does not a five crore KBC1 man?
Money when sings the world dances in joy,
Bad-plus-big-bucks, here's a new crackling hen.
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1. KBC: Indian TV quiz show on earning big bucks.
This is first of a two-part series.
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Ode | 07.08.12 |
Topic: culture, virtues, values