Maybe this too is a lesson after all
the endless wait in mizzling winter rain
windows pricked by droplets, has a moral.
A training in patience, and speaking plain.
Some distant hands ball into angry fists
an old protest song raises a dust storm
the poet’s labelled, it’s you who feels diminished
at the narrowness that now defines home.
The tamarind - wasn’t it enough for ten?
the tiniest spaces were stretched into broad
a foothold for the last man on the train,
was he ever asked for the name of his God?
Maybe the message nested in this pause
is to marshal your breath, and words, for the cause.
Sadly, painfully true. However I worry that if we let things go unchallenged they settle and set (like concrete) and become too entrenched to remove.
ReplyDeleteMust challenge! Well before the concrete sets!
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteit seems that the whole world has fallen backwards in its liberties and enlarged its lies. It will be poets and song-writers who will write the truths, record the infringements and wail the miseries. YAM xx
True about whole world falling into some sort of hate-hole...But I am heartened by small victories. We've just had a favourable supreme court ruling re the internet shutdown in Kashmir. Little drops of water...
DeleteReminds me of the old '60s powerful protest poetry and songs. 'Some distant hands balls into angry fists...'
ReplyDeletean old protest song raises a dust storm.' There's a global disease spreading, infecting each country. People are rising up, but is it too little too late?
Better late than never :) Seriously though, I think people are pretty fed up.
DeleteThe vocal minority always seems to outweigh the silent majority.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, yes. But right now, the silent majority in India are beginning to raise their voices.
Deletesounds like there's plenty of resolve. Your words are strong.
ReplyDeleteCan't afford otherwise. This is long haul. Thanks, Joanne.
DeleteHi Nila - I do have hope ... we are beginning to be reasonable - the empathy will spread ... it's time granted, and with the world as it is ... we shall be viewing it from other places - love to say it'll be from down here ... but no.
ReplyDeleteYour poem tells us straight ... take care and all the best - Hilary