Between the cries of his, the questions of her, the insurmountable agony of them
Did you look for the cracks in their voices or only on their skins
Why did they hide? Why did they cower down?
Would you have an answer for them; why are they so scared of their own?
Why did the girl die? Why was the perpetrator unscathed?
Why did the child suddenly cease to laugh? What did you do to the parents?
So I ask you – what happens when you love a piece of land or a piece of human
Or worse a piece of power
Do you love only the influence and privilege it begets
The cocoon it envelops your ideologies within
Your family your friends your notion of society
Do you only understand the words that speak to you
Would you never eavesdrop on a crisis nearby
Would you love a piece of land so much
You forget that within the land is a home
Would you love a piece of human so much
You forget that within the human is a soul
Would you love a piece of power so much
You forget within the power is an ego
Would you let your love turn so insidious
That the interior of the desired becomes nothing to you?
Shiralie Chaturvedi is a journalist with NDTV GoodTimes.
Featured image credit: Pixabay