Introduction

Wrote this poem in my mother tongue Axomiya (Assamese) first and then translated to English today. Posting it here in the reverse order.

Just asked your name,
My friend,
To get introduced, and
You gave a long list of
Identification;
For me there was
Only one identity of you,
I wanted to build a bridge,
But the high wall of your identity, built by
The long list of
Nationality, ethnicity, language, religion,
Made it a bridge far away;
That you did not include
The color of your skin,
Acknowleging that I am not blind,
Thanks for the small mercy,
Friend of mine.
Au revoīr my friend,
Look me up
If one day you yearn
For company of man,
I shall be here,
The world is my home.
Oh, you never asked my name,
My friend,
May be it is unnecessary to you,
Still, let me introduce myself,
I am human.

নাম পৰিচয়

সুধিছিলোঁ নাম তোমাৰ বন্ধু
চিনাকি হ’বলৈ,
তুমি দিলা দীঘল তালিকা
তোমাৰ পৰিচয়ৰ,
মোৰ বাবেতো আছিল এটাই মাথোঁ
পৰিচয় তোমাৰ,
গঢ়িব খুজিছিলোঁ মই
বন্ধুত্বৰ সেঁতু,
জাতি, ধৰ্ম, ভাষা, দেশৰ তালিকাৰ
উচ্চ প্ৰাচীৰেৰে গঢ়িলা বন্ধু,
বিভাজনৰ হেতু,
তথাপিও জনালোঁ তোমাক
ধন্যবাদ বন্ধু,
নাইযে তালিকাত তোমাৰ
ছালৰ ৰং,
নাভাবিলা মই অন্ধ;
বিদায় বন্ধু আজিলৈ,
আহিবা বিচাৰি
যদি কেতিয়াবা হয় প্ৰয়োজন
মানুহৰ সঙ্গৰ,
থাকিম মই ইয়াতেই,
পৃথিৱীয়ে মোৰ ঘৰ;
অ’, নুসুধিলা মোৰ নাম,
হয়তো তোমাৰ নাই দৰকাৰ,
তথাপিও দিলোঁ পৰিচয় বন্ধু,
মই মানুহ ।

For a Heaven Peddled

For a God unseen
We sacrifice
Those who need ours
We leave them
To mercy of God
Indoctrained from childhood
We offer prayers
And fill the coffers
Of those
Whose business is
The soul of mortals
Who amongst us
Has seen afterlife
For a heaven peddled
We mortgage our present
And create hell
On earth
While the custodians
Of morality
Turn a blind eye
As the powerfuls
Bend the rules
They have sold
Their souls
And tangoed with
The devil
Offering balms
To our tortured souls
If politics makes
Strange bedfellows
Religion is not
Far behind

Divergent Thoughts: Set of Haikus

In the name of God
Millions tortured, maimed and killed
Still preach the gospel

The prophet of peace
Followers kill in his name
Mute spectators all

Tower of Babel
Merciful God’s punishment
Cursed diversity

Children of the book
Monotheistic all but
Which one is greatest

We want lasting peace
But peace on our own terms though
While the world suffers

Lie, cheat, commit sin
As long you serve our purpose
Get a mulligan

We worship same god
Speak different languages
Different, we fight

We speak same language
But worship different god
Different, we fight

Worship same, speak same
Different color of skin
Different, we fight

What is different
Language, color, religion
Same blood flows in vein

 

Peace Has Vanished ( a Ghazal)

I had written this poem ( Ghazal ) a few weeks back in my mother tongue, Assamese, regarding the unrest going on in many parts of the world.  I gave a finishing touch today and translated it to English.  This is not a literal translation. It is difficult to do a word by word translation and retain the ghazal format.  I am including both Assamese ( first) and the English version here.

*********

অশান্তি কিয়

সকলোতে আজি শুনো হাঁহাকাৰ,  পৃথিৱীত ইমান অশান্তি কিয়
প্ৰাচুৰ্য্যৰ মাজত শুনো আৰ্তনাদ, ৰাইজৰ মনত অশান্তি কিয়

বিজ্ঞানৰ আজি জয় জয়াকাৰ, পৰাক্ৰমীৰ শুনো উন্মাদ হুঙ্কাৰ
নৈতিকতাৰ পতন দেখি নিতেনিত, ৰাইজৰ নহব অশান্তি কিয়

চাৰিওদিশে দেখোঁ বাজে ৰণডংকা, জনতাৰ মনত কিহৰ আশঙ্কা
অজান আতংকবাদীৰ মোক্ষম আঘাট, বুজিছানে আজি অশান্তি কিয়

অন্তৰত জ্বলে দুঃখৰ অনল, চৌদিশে দেখোঁ  জ্বলে দাবানল
সৰ্বহাৰাৰ বিচাৰ নহল উচিত, নহলেনো আজি অশান্তি কিয়

বৃথা প্ৰলোভনত মতলীয়া ৰাইজ, বৈষম্যৰ জয়ধ্বনিত সদা ব্যস্ত
ধৰ্মান্ধতাৰ উন্মাদনাত বিবেক নষ্ট, পৃথিৱীত নহব অশান্তি কিয়

Peace Has Vanished

Lament everywhere ring out loud and clear, where peace has vanished
Amidst all the unfathomable wealth, people query why peace has vanished

Scientific truth questioned and throttled by maniac utterances of the powerful
Values challenged, morality in perpetual comma, people’s peace has vanished

Constant cacophony of drums of war, scared dejected populace milling around
Unknown terrorists’ deadly  strikes, death and mutilation, our peace has vanished

Aching hearts, smoldering pain, world engulfed by raging fires of destruction
Blind justice disenfranchises destitute, division rules, why question peace has vanished

False prophets of power, deluded blind followers, fomenting and heralding division
Fanatics, corrupted and hijacked by religion, search where peace has vanished

 

 

Crutch

Needed someone to blame

For all our faults

So we created god

To hide our weaknesses 

Needed a crutch

We discovered religion 

Folks needed to be kept in line

For elites to enjoy privileges

So propagated faith

We needed to spread our powers

We seeded division

Nationality, race, gender and color

We love the rainbow after the rain

But abhor diversity

We want our own

Needed people to believe in rewards

Created illusion called heaven

And destroyed our only home

Hobbled, disabled and crippled 

We march along

Applying fictitious balms

To soothe our aching hearts

We destroy our today

For a mirage of heavenly  adobe

In our afterlife

That is completely unknown

Tower of Babel lives on 

But language of love still the same

Color of skin may be different

Same red color blood flows in our veins

Earth did not create any boundaries 

Though we try to wall ourselves in

We do not need any crutches 

To prop ourselves up

All we need is love and compassion 

For our fellow human beings 

Weapons:Week Forty Six of My Fifty Two Weeks Journey with the Letter ” W”

Those who defends the freedom of possessing guns are fond of reminding people that guns don’t kill people, people do.  Really?  From mythological time to present, it is weapons that has been killing people.  In modern times, weapons are big business.  States are major players in selling arms and weapons.  Everywhere around the globe we can see the devastation and mayhems that’s been created by weapons.  Stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction  can wipe civilization as we know of few times over.  Just imagine if all the resources that are being spent on weapons would have been utilized on development programs, this world of ours would have been a paradise.  But because of proliferation of weapons, all around the globe we have warlike situations prevailing.

All throughout recorded history, wars fought in the name of religion resulted in deaths to millions.  Followers of religions that preach peace and love did not and do not hesitate to kill non believers in the name of religion.  If there would have been no weapons, we would not have seen such devastation.  All God’s creation have been given inherent weapons to defend and feed themselves but no weapons to kill unnecessarily.  We humans call ourselves to be God’s best creation.  God has not given us weapons to kill others.  Alas, we are given a brain that we misused to invent weapons to kill and dominate others.  If we really would have utilized our brains properly, we would have invented weapons to spread love and peace, not death and destruction.

It may be a wishful  thinking, but we can always hope.  Maybe one day we will see the light and will find mythological arrows of Cupid to spread universal love. With that hope in mind, on week forty six of my fifty two weeks journey with the letter “W”, I start my poem with the word “Weapons”.

Peace and love to all my dear readers in this season of joy.


This post is in response to Write Anything Wednesday-Dec-14-2016 sponsored by Writerish Ramblings

Worship

Worship I may not
One and only God
Rather I will
Silently make a prayer to
Humanity to stop these
Insane killing wars and let
Peace reign in this world

Worship I will not
On the alter of greed
Religions that teach and
Spread gospels of
Hatred and divisiveness
Insulting others who does not
Pray to their gods

Worship I can not
Only to have doubts
Ruining my life
Strength of my faith
Humble though it may be
I am sure one day
Pull me out of this misery

Worship I will
One that is
Ready to heal and bring a
Stop to the world’s
Hunger, hatred and heinous crimes
Imbibing in everyone’s heart a feeling of
Pride to be at peace with one and all


Write anything Wednesday Oct-19-2016

 

Idiosyncratic writings

we can and we will !

whyhistorymatters

Not even the dead will be safe from the enemy, if he is victorious. And this enemy has not ceased to be victorious.- Walter Benjamin

सिफ़र.

Everything and Nothing. And then some words.

ELATE! - Evolve, Love And Transform Everyday!

taking daily steps towards achieving our health and life potential

From The Quill

Aren't songs of grief lullabies to the lost?

Confab With Me

Aphorisms, Poetries, Stories and More...

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

Blog magazine for lovers of health, food, books, music, humour and life in general

Musings

What comes to me as a still, small voice in the atmosphere of daylight and evening. © Mario Savioni and Musings, 2013. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without the consent of the author is prohibited. Small (100 words or less) excerpts or links are permitted as long as credit is given to Mario Savioni with direction to the original content. Please refrain from “reblogging” posts.

Megha's World

A potpourri of emotions

Expat Journal: Postcards from the Edge

International photographer wandering the globe . . .

Harold Strauss

Poetry of Moments.

Emotional Shadows

where all emotions are cared for!

Words From The Borderline

Poets bleed from the heart and soul

Chèvrefeuille's haiku

A great WordPress.com site

The Hackney Hiker

Adventures in hiking

But I Smile Anyway...

Musings and memories, words and wisdom... of a working family woman

Sweet aroma

Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God...2 Corinthians 2:15

like mercury colliding...

...moments of unexpected clarity

Annette Rochelle Aben

~ Communicator, WordSmith, Artist, Guide, Mentor, Muse ~

dribblingpensioner

Just another pensioner with his thoughts if he can remember them

London Wlogger

Walking blogger exploring London's hidden gems, parks, bridges, landmarks, sights and history!

Be Inspired..!!

Listen to your inner self..it has all the answers..

JUST JOAN 42

poetry and stories about life, the universe, and everything

Specks and Fragments

home of the elusive trope

Seal Matches

Stories & News

yaskhan

Verba volant, scripta manent !

Geetha Balvannanathan's Blog - Isis Tratum

Poems, thoughts, healing, other art works (pictures, songs and videos not made by me belong to their authors, the rest being mine) © 2010-2046

Haddon Musings

There are 11,507 stories in Haddonfield; this is one of them.

Philip Craddock Writing Portfolio

Daring to Dream: Short stories, poetry & songs. Next target: 300 Followers.

Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

Principle Michelle

Training Them Up and Onward

Aidan J. Reid

Sci-Fi Nut First. Thriller Author Second.

Author Don Massenzio

Independent Authors Unite!

BeautyBeyondBones

Because we’re all recovering from something.

Dutch goes the Photo!

Focus Hocus Pocus

Sarah Doughty

Novelist, Poet, Wordsmith

Peace in Darkness

weird alien 👽

Foxes and Magnolias

Poetry for keepsakes, for longing, for letting go.

ronovanwrites

Author, Poet, Blogger, Father, Reader And More

Poet's Corner

Poems, poets, poetry, writing, poetry challenges