Saturday 19 December 2015

I Cannot But Write These Lines

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As smog of hate blankets this earth

Elephants storm out of jungles

Ravaging towns of ours*

The black night smiles with starry dimples

I cannot but write these lines

 

As soldiers fly abroad to kill and be killed

Death’s talon picks up starving laborers one by one

In the silent Red Bank Tea-garden**

White Jasmine makes the night fragrant

I cannot but write these lines

 

As darkness breeds darkness in living

This planet starves for a drop of light

Malala rises singing aloud the change

"One child, one teacher, one pen, one book" makes

I cannot but write these lines

 

 

*Recently the incident took place in the State where I live. Shortage of food is driving the poor Pachyderms mad.

**Another recent incident in our State

 

Posted for Poetry Pantry @ Poets United

27 comments:

  1. Sumana, your poem gave me chills as I read it. Our world definitely needs more light. Death's talon has been way too active everywhere. Malala is a true inspiration, isn't she? I wonder sometimes how she keeps the strength inside of herself to keep giving off such abundant light as she does!

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  2. Hungry people and critters all over the world, Sumana, as there are now so many humans........your lines spoke straight to my heart. Malala - and poems like yours - give light and hope. Here, we have hungry bears and cougar and wolves. Not enough habitat, not enough food. And hungry humans are everywhere, too, so your lines speak to the universal condition. The sad thing is, there is Enough, if the sharing were more just.

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  3. As dark as it is, you've found a ray of light with education. I could imagine Malala saying all these lines as she holds a steady course. What else can we do but write? Especially If we can still see the dimples, smell the Jasmine and hear the song?

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  4. There is hope; not as bright as I would like but hope none the less.

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  5. I think there is lot of light, but we have started to see the dark.. Maybe we let the darkness rule us with that fear.

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  6. Sadly we are being encouraged to disrespect the Earth and its treasures thinking only that everything is a resource to take and profit from regardless of the consequences to our children. There are so few of us that care.

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  7. The darkness is created by us..greed, fear and the struggle for power. If there is a way out, hope we find it very quickly. Happy new year to you Sumana.

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  8. There is an energy in this poem that has a feeling of possibility...change..hope - and she is indeed an inspirational young woman..like many children perhaps who also bravely fight for a better future everyday..

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  9. oh yes a portrait of hope is young Malala, in a world thrashed in strife.
    She visited Trinidad in 2014

    Sumana thanks for dropping in at my Sunday Lime today

    much love...

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  10. This is so heartbreaking! May there be light of hope and peace in our world. Amen.

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  11. This is heartbreaking and beautifully done.

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  12. This planet starves for a drop of light, so much truth in those words.

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  13. When I see Malala's face and hear her words, I am suddenly filled with hope and peace...with determination to be a better person. She is our hope...and I am glad you wrote these words.

    Donna@LivingFromHappiness

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  14. Chillingly well written Sumana and great choice of individual to offer up as a shining palliative response touch darkness and despair - "a smog of hate" Great write... With Best Wishes Scott

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  15. Beautifully written. Something pricked me as I read the poem. May there be more peace, hope and light in this world. Let's hope for a better 2016.

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  16. I really enjoyed reading this poem. So many things about it are wonderful. The imagery - I love the image of elephants storming out of jungles, and your use of repetition. Very effective.

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  17. Well written ...with compassion and understanding.
    ZQ

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  18. She is an inspiration & its heartbreaking to read these stories ~ Wishing you a blessed holiday and joyful new year Sumana ~ All the best ~

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  19. Your words bring hope and Malala is a strong light of inspiration to all of us,

    Elizabeth

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  20. I have hope - I cannot help but write that. Animals and humans starving, death, sorrow - in spite of it all, I have hope for us all and pray for it.

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  21. How dreadfully sad Sumana. I'm sorry this is happening so close to home. But how beautiful to know a spirit like Malla's exists. Blessings to you and to all of us.

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  22. Is it because evil has conquered humans' hearts..or because of the silence of "good" people who have the ability to stand against such evil?

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  23. Stunning! I loved your poem. Thanks.

    Merry Christmas to you and yours and a Happy New Year! :-)

    Greetings from London.

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  24. I agree with your vision about everything else but Malala. She is one dummy being focussed on by the Western world.She will,for example,never speak about Palestine,or Rachel Corrie or Yemen,or Kurdish women being raped by ISIS or the real issue with Afganisthan.Nazibullah's murder.The creation of Osama Bin Laden.The illegal weapon trade.The issue with Erdogan.Ammunition,creation,training of the entire Islamic fundamentalism propaganda.People have got to know somehow.That this propaganda itself.

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