Blood and Death

In silence I witnessed,

Strips of flesh torn aside,

Bloody footprints running beside;

Swords and sticks cast away,

As pale corpses littered the way.

In silence I witnessed,

Their dying breaths struggling to escape this world,

As blood-lust comes flooding into my town;

The unseen darkness flickering inside,

These mundane men ravaging into the night.

In silence I witnessed,

The flames of madness engulf the sight,

‘Riots’ they cried after that night;

Spilt blood was cleaned and damages discovered,

The public was appeased and peace recovered.

In silence I witnessed,

As hatred grew like weeds,

When God’s words were twisted to incite men’s greed.

Oppressed and isolated, they vowed to avenge;

In blood and death, this saga of revenge.

~***~

Lately, riots and mob lynchings have become popular tools of power-politics in India. The devastation caused in the Delhi Riots 2020 was swept under the rug, as our leaders played the blame-game. The culprits, fanning the flame of religious intolerance, continue to be protected while the victims are harassed, threatened and silenced. Instead of raising our voices against this relentless religious persecution, most are either indifferent or scared of denouncing the unconstitutional practices of these mighty men. And I fear, someday history will repeat itself when today’s oppressed rise tomorrow seeking retribution.

This poem was selected for Free Verse Revolution’s Top Three Sunday Best for the prompt- ‘unseen darkness’.