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| Viji Narayan |
Around me and in every inch surrounding me singes me
The mercury of hatred keeps rising,
There seems to be no shade anywhere
Not a drop of water to save me from dropping dead like a hapless bird!
The air smells of hatred-
The smell of burned dreams fill my nostrils all through the day,
Save me Bapu! Let me cease to be.
Let me have a rebirth Bapu!
Let me be the steps of your Sabarmati Ashram!
Feet that tread those steps dare not step on it with hate,
Let me rest under the coolness of these loving feet!
Let me be the grass that grow there
For whoever would pass through those grasslands
Would have love in their hearts at least while they are there!
Please let me be a door-mat at the Sabarmati Ashram
Blissfully lying under the specs of sand
Generated from the feet of people who visit the Ashram every day
Still holding something of your non-violent, all encompassing love in them!
Do they too come to Ashram for a Panacea for the hate that engulfs them?
Either way I am blessed to be a door -mat –
Adorned with specs of sands from the feet of
People who love and will not take up hate!
Bio: Viji Narayan is bilingual writer from Coimbatore, India who writes in English as well as Tamil. Her articles and poems regularly get published in popular newspapers in India and many online magazines. She holds a Master’s degree in English language and literature.
Moved to tears by your words, viji -yes, yearning for a Gandhi is in our heart of hearts. Your words mirror feelings that most if us have, I can only thank you, keep on putting your words into our hearts -
ReplyDeleteThank you Sabina for your kind words.Yes indeed we all do yearn for a Gandhi in our hearts.
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