Morcha.

Desh ke gaddaron ko jootey maaro.
Jootey maaro unko
jo humaari zubaan ko modh kar humaari awaaz chheenna chahte hain,
jo humaari soch ko todh kar humaari aazaadi chheenna chahte hain,
jo humaare sharir ko maar kar humaare junoon ko ghayal karna chahte hain.

Desh ke gaddaron ko jootey maaro.
Jootey maaro unko
jo deshbhakti ke naam mein insaaniyat bhool gaye hain,
jo sarkaar ke kaam mein vyaktitva bhool gaye hain,
jo dharm ko aam karne mein sahin karm bhool gaye hain.

Bharat maata ki jai.
Uss maata ki
jo apne bacchon ko gaurav se jeene deti hain,
jo apne phoolon ko bedhadak khilne deti hain,
jo apne se bandhe har ansh ka haath thaamti hain.

Bharat maata ki jai.
Uss maata ki
jo apne bacchon ke khilaaf hathiyaar nahin uthati,
jo apne phoolon ko per se masal nahin deti,
jo apne se bandhe ansh ko kabhi dhokha nahin deti.

Obscurantist.

​

Please,
make sure that you sweep the severed limbs and bodies,
and pile them up in the corner,
amongst the rubble,
out of sight;
do not forget to mop the streams of blood
flowing through the crevices of the broken tiles;
cover the child’s head with a cloth,
his tattered clothes are all that ought to be seen,
there must not be too much blood around him,
wipe it clean.

Please,
do not allow me to view the grotesque images
of heads without bodies
and clothes dripping with stale blood;
I cannot see the agonised tears
streaming down deformed faces,
eaten away by explosive fires and bullets,
covered in cement-
white as ghosts,
pale with death;
Hide the broken beds and destroyed walls from my sight,
or the foundations of my comfort and safety will crumble
with shivers of helpless distress.

Please spare me,
I am not strong enough.

“The danger is that, for fear of causing upset, we end up sanitising war.” -John Sweeney.