Touch Elder's Feet

The poem takes on and discusses the blind following of old traditions being considered as good and the belief that youth is spoiled.

Touch Elder’s Feet

 

Beta, take the tea to the drawing room

First comb your hair and make a respectful smile

Serve the tea and touch their feet

Respect your elders, that is Indian style.

 

Heard my mother, as I always heed

Did the task, but it was a task indeed.

But a question had got stuck amiss

And it wouldn’t get off, until I wrote this.

Is the respect in the union of our hand and their feet,

Or is it in the sincere, honest and heartfelt greet?

 

“Youth is spoilt,” elders always complain,

“This isn’t modernity,” I don’t refrain.

Touching elder’s feet does no harm

It has been our culture since the time of Lord Ram.

But what is the meaning of the culture

If there is no respect in the heart,

We need to have the feeling

And not the idol on the cart!

Author's Note

Though the poem is about an Indian culture, but it has just been taken as a symbol for many other cultures in many other regions and religions which are blindly considered by their followers as being 'good' without reflecting about it. The lack of acceptance of new ideas have also been dealt with.

GLOSSARY -
Beta (Hindi) = son
spoilt = spoiled
Lord Ram = A Hindu God.

Reviews

[Kristin Lee]

Very interesting poem. I personally believe in respecting elders - if they deserve it, however, I also believe in understanding traditions and making sure they suite the times. There's no need to stand on ceremony, especially if it's out dated. And I personally can't stand feet. I won't even touch my husbands feet. There's no way in hell I'm touching some body else's feet. It doesn't matter if it's Lord Ram, the Dali Lama, or Jesus. It isn't happening. I'd gladly give them the shirt off my back or go to the ends of the earth to get them a glass of water...anything else to show them respect. But I am not touching someone's feet. Like I said...updated traditions.

[Shivam Murari]

I was waiting for this! This is so much of what I had in my head while I was writing this poem!Though, I do appreciate that there is no BIG DEAL for the believers to follow the tradition, what is the most important thing is are we really intending respect behind the actions?!
Thanks a lot great poet and thinker! :)

[unsavable_soul]

Nice write,
Very thought provoking. We often move blindly through life and even our own cultures and world. We often don't ask enough questions, or more over the right questions perhaps. I have found a respect for all things, but also questions that come pinned to the notion as well. Interesting write. Thanks. Sorry about all my delays. I have a long next few days ahead of me in reviews and things.
Chris
100/100

[Shivam Murari]

Thank you so much Chris! So finally a perfect review from you! Well, this is it then! I am glad I did a good work finally.

Thank you, as ever, for reading my poems. Do send in your Read requests (as it is hard for me to read poems which do not come in RRs). :-)

[unsavable_soul]

Lol, not up to me, just giving a thought...
The work speaks for itself.

[Shivam Murari]

haha! Thank you again! :)

[Mina]

Like itt
Its well written :)

[Shivam Murari]

Thank you so, so much Mina! :)

[Mina]

Pleaasure :)

[Shivam Murari]

............. :)

[Rita L. Sev]

Excellent, Shivam! This is a well written and thoughtful poem. Educational, and universal at the same time. All cultures and religions have their "elders", and while I agree with respecting these people, it is wise to ask ourselves why we do so - is it merited by all of them, in their imperfect humanity? Great read, well penned!

[Shivam Murari]

Wow Rita you just said it all! You are so good, kind poetess. Thank you for coming around, reading and reviewing :)

[*Clare*]

Good point made! You have written something that most people now days choose to avoid. Excellent writing!

[Shivam Murari]

Thank you so much Clare! I'm glad you liked my poem. :)

[Divya Punjabi]

The concept of poem is just so different! i like that someone has such a beautifil poetic point of view.. loved reading it :)

[Shivam Murari]

Thank you so much Divya! I feel so flattered and encouraged by your reviews. Thank you so much!

[Divya Punjabi]

pleasure is all mine :)

[Shivam Murari]

...........:)

[Onku Ghosh]

A good write and a nice topic top write on.......showihg respect to elders by touching their feet.....interesting read.Very well done, Shivam

[Shivam Murari]

Thank you so much Onku! I'm glad you came and read :)

[Angi]

Showing respect with no hidden agenda, with feeling and meaning in your heart.. I like this piece, Shivam. I think it is so important for elders and youths to come together on a daily basis. They can teach each other so much! Angi~

[Shivam Murari]

And I agree with you so much too! Angi! :) Thank you for reading :)

[Brandon S. Whitten]

Splendid read and write. Thank you for sharing. Namaste

[Shivam Murari]

Thanks a lot Brandon! Namaste :)

[Prritiy]

Good thought process. Respect should come from heart, but have you ever felt that when anyone wishes you, if the person is not your arch enemy, that one moment you smile or reciprocate from heart, well I guess that is it. When we bend down to touch the feet of our elders good wishes flow down to us too. Whatever said or done its true the the positive vibes do flow around. [and bending is an exercise too :) ]

[Shivam Murari]

Though I sincerely agree with what you said, Ma'm, I know Elder's do find respected when someone touches their feet, but what I target is not this culture, I target some old beliefs. Perhaps, the person bending down is just acting too! So just because some man touches his elder's feet doesn't make him a gentleman. And neither does NOT touching elder's feet show that the man is poor cultured. If the man is gentle, it would show up automatically. After all not everyone is that fine an actor! Its just that respect must be offered from heart and not just shown to impress! :)

Thank you so much for coming around and expressing! :)

[Prritiy]

I agree with what you say, it has happened at times with me too that we need to wish/ touch feet of the persons we nearly hate.
But at times it is so calming too.
And as far as you say -Perhaps, the person bending down is just acting too! That is true too but its just that elders consider it as a mark of respect and if don't dislike them no harm in giving them that happiness of being respected, just considering it as at times eating something we don't like but just not to offend our Ma or anyone for that matter whom we don't want to be hurt :)
That's about touching feet, but yes i understood your symbolical presentation too, some customs are just done to be done, just blindly. But some exercises like this one is taught as we are not Human but are made human by our parents n society and that being told in earlier part of our life is teaching us to be respectful to our elders n tradition- some which bring no harm and some which we can think over and change as we grow up :)

[Shivam Murari]

Wll then, you've very well got the motive of my poem, Prritiy! That's what I want to show. It is very fine to touch elder's feet. Nothing wrong about it, definitely NO! I do it too! But that is because, I like doing it! It is not a pressure on me! And neither do I do it because I have to impress someone! That is what I want this world to have! More reality in the form of ethics! :)

[Prritiy]

:) Yes- More reality in the form of ethics!

[Shivam Murari]

.................. :)

[carol burgess romance]

i like this very much...I hope you shared this with your own people who can understand the true meaning..respect of ones elders is a given in any society I believe...to honour them is not done anymore by many youth and this is sad. This is so well wrtten and would look good hanging in a school or a place where youth assemble.

[Shivam Murari]

Thank you so much Carol! I appreciate you coming around and reviewing it! :)

[Shivam Murari]

*for coming around. My bad!