Wednesday 20 August 2014

On Mahatma Gandhi or Pleasure without Conscience or Pleasure of living

Joel Robinson Photography source

The shy kid* who walked like a shadow

Was once a 13 year old groom

Butterflies never left his stomach yet his stony words

Hit his child wife in their room

 

Squabbling kids!

 

The razor’s age he had trodden

Hacked and hardened his diffidence

The girmitias** held him in esteem

And some with nonchalance

 

Hail the change!

 

His easy way was bizarre to the worldly men

Hanging a smirk on their face

Eyesore that he was needed to get rid of fast

To save the man’s own race

 

 God save the Man!

 

But the bullets targeted his chest to stop that beat

Of the simple man

Red birds flew up from his bosom into the void and his words

Were the silent sun

 

He is no more!

 

Mercenary killers still walk and I hear their footsteps

In channels and paper

The red birds from the remote past bring me the silent sun

And words dance and caper

 

Poets still live!

 

 

*Mahatma Gandhi

**girmitia was probably distorted form of ‘agreement’-workers who were hired from India to work as bonded laborers in South Africa. They were deprived of basic human rights. Gandhiji fought for them in SA.

 


Written for Susan’s Midweek Motif: Social Goods @ Poets United

&

Shared with d'Verse Poetics

18 comments:

  1. O! wow! That poets still live spreads Gandhiji and other blessings, no matter how hard and of these or we started out to be. And our thirteen year olds today, learning this, are a goodness in themselves, I think--maaybe with both conscience and character.

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  2. Red birds and poets..the real essence of life...uplifting words Sumana

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  3. it is the danger is speaking out...you put a target on your chest...esp from those who do not want to see things change...and are comfortable in their oppression...they fear the loss of power....

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  4. It's amazing to view people who know inner peace. Though they change the world, they appear at ease. But "worldly men" are not ready for that kind of peace. Instead, they call "peace" something to fight for. Ironic huh?

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  5. Though he is no more,his words live on ~ I specially love this part Sumana :

    But the bullets targeted his chest to stop that beat
    Of the simple man
    Red birds flew up from his bosom into the void and his words
    Were the silent sun

    Thanks for linking up with D'verse ~ Have a good week ~

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  6. A lovely tribute, both visual and through words, to a truly exceptional human being...

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  7. I so love "Red birds flew up from his bosom into the void and his words Were the silent sun". That men such as Gandhi continue to show up when they are most needed is the planet's saving grace. I think we need about a million of them right now.

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  8. I hope that poets today can have the same courage and strength in conviction. Thanks so much for sharing Sumana

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  9. Amazingly and sad on the consequence of being brave.. love the form with the short lines tying the stanzas together..

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  10. I love that expression' easy way' as one of the things I admired about Gandhi was the calm in seemed to live in. Excellent poem Sumana.

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  11. An uplifting ending. I am glad to have fellow poets who spread his many of his ideas.

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  12. So fortunate are we in the suburbs of the US..to simply turn off the TV..go to the backyard..and not even know of the darker sides of human nature..in fact i say it's paradise..and to blog and hear of other struggles face to face in other countries..makes me more patriotic to be free of violence on home soil..more than ever before..we are blessed and spoiled not even to know the value of Gandhi here..at least in the Suburbs of life..:.

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  13. such a nice tribute to Gandhiji..beautiful Sumana:)

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  14. A powerful tribute to a man of peace who died a most violent death.

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  15. Yes, poets still live and spread the red birds and silent sun. ~ Love the poem :)x

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  16. Your imagery strongly conveys the power of words... and the power of violence.

    http://www.kimnelsonwrites.com/2014/08/21/consider/

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  17. change is not easy, especially on a large scale where others (usually those in powerful positions) differ in opinions and care more about themselves than those around them. too often it is hard to speak up...and this all the more important that we do.

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  18. Words are eternal... A beautiful relevant poem. A beautiful man and a great loss to the world. Glad to see you speak up...

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