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Saturday, 18 October 2014
A Grain of Wisdom
Sound of heavy boots plundered sleep
Explosives are fallow land’s reap
Shadowy figures weaving net
A huge haul of life’s the target
We sink into the quagmire deep
A grain of wisdom is time’s need
To uproot this blood hungry weed
But blame-game is rending the air
All ears are deaf to our
peace-prayer
Selfies reap the yield of their
seed*
*We are now living in constant threat
of terrorism. Military forces everyday are busting the militants’ dens and
discovering explosives. Rulers & oppositions are engaged in exchanging
expletives while the criminals are making good their escape. Commoners are
suffocating in this political quagmire.
The poem is written in Quintilla
/ Spanish Quintain form with eight syllables in each line and 5 lines a
stanza & the rhyme scheme is a. a. b. b. a.
The poem is written for Kerry’s
Sunday Mini-Challenge: In Other Words @ Real Toads where we are to select one
of the two given titles from two books and substitute our own words in place of
those indicated below and write a new poem under the title we’ve created. The
books were: a) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Night-Time, a
mystery novel by British writer Mark Haddon. b) A Grain of Wheat, a novel by Kenyan novelist Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
1.
The --- Incident of the ---in the
---time.
2.
A --- of wheat
3.
A grain of---
&
I am also sharing this with
Poetry Pantry @ Poets United
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Such sad commentary of the lives so many are forced to lead in these times. A grain of wisdom would be most welcome. Thanks, Sumana.
ReplyDeleteThe instant gratification of selfies combined with false prophets., it's indeed a quagmire of sadness.
ReplyDeleteVery true India today is so much vulnerable to these terrorists and our so called LEADERS are busy in making money and playing vote bank politics. But hey nice to see that form in use, i too will try it in sometime.
ReplyDeleteI do think that we do need a grain of wisdom to know what to do with the shadowy figures that seem to be everywhere one looks. Nice form, Sumana.
ReplyDeleteSad times indeed.
ReplyDeleteSound of heavy boots plundered sleep
ReplyDeleteExplosives are fallow land’s reap
Shadowy figures weaving net
There seems to be an element of high handedness meted out by the powers that be at odd hours of the day. Reminiscent of bad elements of government. This is still happening these days. Great lines Sumana!
Hank
Sadly there seems to be no long term strategy on how to deal with the current crises. Perhaps it is being left to the poets to solve the problem.
ReplyDeleteif only we could just let each other be huh...
ReplyDeletePowerful write and a plaintive clarion call for even a grain of wisdom.
ReplyDeleteHow sad when the blame game is rendering the air ~ I hope you are safe where you are ~ We need every grain of wisdom, sighs ~ Have a good weekend Sumana ~
ReplyDeletecrime and violence, rending havoc in so many countries of this beautiful planet earth, yet we must continue to let our prayers rise out of the quagmire
ReplyDeletehave a blessed week
much love...
It is indeed a very frightening world at times and some are only obsessed with catching the best selfie... Human souls are sometimes hard to fathom.
ReplyDeleteKerry and Bjorn spoke my mind. When terrorism fishes every and any where, "A huge haul of life’s the target." Excellent use of farmer and fisherman images, excellent linking of selfies to the theme.
ReplyDeleteYes, we desperately need a grain of wisdom, world-wide. Terrible to live under such conditions. Well said, Sumana.
DeleteSad that our times have not found a grain of wisdom...
ReplyDeleteDonna@LivingFromHappiness
Wisdom can fall on deaf ears in times o high tempers. Lets hope cooler heads prevail.
ReplyDeleteI really like "blood hungry weed"...yes, I hope it is uprooted, soon!
ReplyDeleteA timely post, Sumana. Sitting in West Bengal...I can relate to every word written here!! WB is the new terror haven... it's amazing how the terrorist successfully spread their networks in the impoverished minority-dominated belts. Politics has taken an ugly turn..Wonder, when will the politicians stop these cheap and dirty vote bank politics and focus on lives of common people.
ReplyDeleteI liked this poem so much. The form and sentiments both..Well done.
I cannot imagine having to deal with the threat of total mayhem and the terror...I simply cannot. Your poem is so true and heartbreaking, Sumana. I pray for peace.
ReplyDeleteas a fellow citizen, I share your concern.unfortunate and deeply unsettling turn of events.
ReplyDeleteWell said/written ...something has to break, I keep looking for a sweeping change, waiting for the wind to collect all the individual prayers and disperse them universally.
ReplyDeleteZQ
Interesting form - and the sentiment you've expressed timely and disconcerting. But, nevertheless, chillingly real.
ReplyDeleteSo very sad. We all could use an extra grain of wisdom. Very well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by.
i wish we could root out that blood hungry weed...
ReplyDeletewar/bombing can be so devastating....a grain
of wisdom is indeed needed....
"All ears are deaf to our peace-prayer"
ReplyDeleteSo true and so sad. I like how you captured the current state of so many terrorist-situation even though I hate that such things exist. I wish people would quit the blaming and get to the solving.
Nice on track thoughts on terrorism, Sumana.
ReplyDeleteYou told it nicely, of how peace is so elusive.
..
Most welcoming thought...to have a grain of wisdom.
ReplyDeleteinteresting form, should try it myself one day.
ReplyDeleteoh yes, certainly more grains of wisdom are needed. the resources that are used to fight terrorism can be put to much more better and urgent use. :(
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn our selfie-obsessed world, wisdom is sorely needed, but often lacking.
ReplyDeleteFrightening. It captures well the different realities of our time. Peace.
ReplyDeleteLike this form. The world is a violent place at the moment. Wisdom can never take root in dark minds.
ReplyDeleteYeah weeds should be uprooted timely, have to be take the responsibility and wisdom of teaching awareness than just singing national anthem and taking pledges... !
ReplyDeleteIn the fight for power, commoners are always the sufferers.
ReplyDeleteSad it is. Truth it is.
good one
the deafness to the speech prayer gripped me...i could almost feel the assault of silence, an indifference.
ReplyDeleteTerrifying...your poem captures the urgency. ♥
ReplyDelete