Bray and Barks : A
Story
On the large public
television screen
put up in the heart of the
town
appeared a donkey,
somewhat lean
but not too docile, and dull
brown.
A news-reporter with a
microphone
provoked the animal
standing alone,
eager and impatient to
make it say
something in the language
of its bray.
Annoyed, it directly faced
the lens
and jerked its body for ten
seconds
as if to shake off all its
reticence
and the embarrassing diffidence.
But to everyone’s utter bewilderment
Its jerk caused cracks on
the TV screen
that fell into pieces the
very next moment
leaving behind only the borders
of the screen.
And lo! Jumping out of the
virtual world
the donkey stood now on
the ground real,
where all stood, the
ground that’s tarred.
The audience were now virtually
petrified
while many in horror retreated
and cried.
Standing at arm’s length
from the viewers,
it swayed its head to the
right and to the left.
Then looking straight
ahead and a little upward
it released a loud bray
for one full minute.
Its bray, a little too harsh
and audacious,
contrary to some
enthusiastic expectations,
attracted the cacophony of
ire from canines
of various hues and voices,
sizes and spines.
Leashed as well as
unleashed and stray,
they all frantically
barked and whined
even at the faint echo of
the bray.
To scare it away they all lined.
Unperturbed, the donkey
walked indifferently
Past the crowd that stood
gaping awfully
while the reporter with
microphone in hand
still in the empty frame
did gawkily stand.
He seemed imploring but no
word could be heard
and the animal turning its
head backward
brayed loudly as if it said,
“O you super brain!
“Why don’t you come out of
the confining frame?”
On its head the southward
sun shines
as it passes by the host
of hostile canines.
And I, a witness to this
strange spectacle,
hurriedly record the
incident in these lines.
-------------------------------------------------------
July 16 - 17,
2020.
