My neighbour Ramnath you must have seen
A friend to all of us, if ever one has been
Morning or evening whenever we meet
His face with a smile always first to greet
His tongue does not move, he cannot speak
The poor ‘dumb’ Ramnath always humble and meek
No one has seen him angry or part of a feud
Content with himself, never to anyone rude
No one goes up to make him a friend
But Ramnath to every one bows with folded hand
When the school bus arrives, Ramnath the guardian
Makes every child climb or alight from the van
If your heavy bag slips, he picks it up as you wait and stand
When you cross the road, Ramnath holds your hand
If children loose their ball, he rushes to search the bush
When the cart puller struggles uphill, Ramnath is behind to give a push
In the neighborhood births, marriages or festivals of joy
Part of every family, Ramnath is there to enjoy
While nursing the sick, keeping vigil beside the neighbour
Night after night Ramnath the ‘dumb’ is always there
Part of every family, yet always behind all
Rushes to your side whenever you give a call
In grief of all, in the death of a friend
When the dead body is lifted, his shoulder supports one end
All along that beatific smile from his face never leaves
His ‘dead’ tongue says nothing, it only gives
We seldom probe his silence, what thoughts cross his mind
What will our neighborhood be without his kind?
But thoughts must be inside his everlasting silence
With whom does he converse?
His inspiration comes whence?
I think God created Ramnath for himself alone,
When betrayed by mankind, to share with someone
His own disappointment to assure himself
His creation is not a mistake, there is still some help
Many ‘dumb’ Ramnaths still shine in this world
They ask nothing for themselves, happy enough carrying the message of God
In our pensive mood do we ponder ever
The great truth of life that Ramnaths deliver?
At the time of need, someone’s hand you hold
In that smile of Ramnath, see the smile of God
Taken for granted, unsung and unknown
A freak of nature? Or God’s loving son!