I must
- “koyle ki khan se hi hira nikalta hai”*
- For Africa, the lost Eden of our common ancestors
I know / my words, / like embers, / will turn to dust,
and yet I burn,/ for dazzle I must.
My black skin hides within, / an anger, / a fire,
even when reduced to ash, / smolder / I must.
Do not play with me, / I'll soil your hands too,
and yet I burn,/ for dazzle I must.
My black skin hides within, / an anger, / a fire,
even when reduced to ash, / smolder / I must.
Do not play with me, / I'll soil your hands too,
I was raised in darkness, / dye everything black I must.
My tongue moves in hearth, / my voice is loudest on pyre,
to show what I really am, / martyr myself / I must.
A piece, my own, glittered,/ a piece caught your fancy,
a piece sells for millions, / for pennies / sell / I must.
I am amorphous you say, / its my way of existence you condemn,
to be a John of Arc again, / perform on stake / I must.
I've no spark within me, / sans spark I'm a stone,
such is Vivek’s destiny, / to live, / first die / I must.
My tongue moves in hearth, / my voice is loudest on pyre,
to show what I really am, / martyr myself / I must.
A piece, my own, glittered,/ a piece caught your fancy,
a piece sells for millions, / for pennies / sell / I must.
I am amorphous you say, / its my way of existence you condemn,
to be a John of Arc again, / perform on stake / I must.
I've no spark within me, / sans spark I'm a stone,
such is Vivek’s destiny, / to live, / first die / I must.
Note*: Allusion to common Hindi saying: Diamond comes from the same mine as coal.
Published first online: Poets for Living Waters.
3 comments:
Hello Dr Sharma,
"Joan of Arc" - should it be, in the poem?
You have my apology if it came across as pedantic.
Best wishes
Aparna
Please have a look and judge my work : http://starx-dreams.blogspot.com/
Jaisa apne aap ke baarein mein aap samajh rahe hain na, aisa kuch bhinahin hai.
what you descibed in your poem about yourself, is not going to happen' cause still there is good in you.
I saw it. It was angelic. It was beautiful.
I don't know if you put up that act before me. But even if you did, My Lord, who gave me life made me see it as something beautiful. There fore to Him is My Praise.
Do you know what was the beauty I saw in you?
I will tell you.
There are many men on this earth, who steal, grab and trample on other people's rights. Worst of them if given a chance will steal other man's wife. They flirt.
You did not do that. You never crossed that commandment of Lord:
" Steal not thy neighbour's/ brother's wife"
I am not sure if you really followed that commandment. But My Lord: He made me see you that way.
I was ignorant at that time. But when I saw this beauty, I turned my world upside down, to know, from where does this beautiful ethic come from. I searched and searched and searched.. I found it. It was one of the Commandments of Lord given to Prophets. This is how I found my way.
Then when I found my way through one of your good actions ( let us take for granted,even if you did it to mis-lead ), is it not proper, that I give you glad tidings of My Lord who forgives those who repent.
There is another beauty in you as well, which I am yet to see in others. True ! you do not let anyone know, when you do evil and you are master in covering it up.
But then when you do good as well, you hide your charity. My Lord has praised those people who hide their charity. It is for this reason I extend my forgiveness and mercy to you, even if you have tried to wrong me in my past.
Is it not my Rabb who knows all the secrets? He is the Hidden and He is Manifest. He can manifest any secret. He can cover up any secret and forgive. My Lord is Forgiving and Merciful.
Donot deliver yourself to ruin by wrong actions.Every soul delivers itself to ruin by its own acts. It will find for itself no protector nor intercessor, except my Lord: Allah Subhanaw Taala.
My Lord : Rahmaanar Raheem has inscribed for Himself Mercy.
His Peace and Mercy has been extended to even those who dis-obeyed and rejected Him. He is silent does not mean, his hands are tied up. He is all Powerful, All seeing and All- Hearing. It is He, who asked me to deliver this message, when I abhored to do it.
Go in Peace and do not do any wrong. Do not take the life which is sacred unless it is to deliver justice. If possible try to forgive those who wronged you. I know it is difficult. But I also know you can do it, with two great gifts My Rabb has bestowed upon you.
Rest is upto you.
I can neither be your intercessor nor protector for you, in your life or death or later.
Do not expect me to come back here again and write. I came here only to do my duty to my Creator, May Lord forgive me, my past errors and my past ignorance. Ameen.
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