Will they ever forgive us?

A group of “men”

Lusted for the kingdom

They flaunted their plunder

They bought

The makers, the implementers

and the protectors

of rules of the game called democracy

Overnight

they disguised the monster

as people’s messiah

They manufactured

common men’s conscience

distorted history and facts

glorified unknown mystic past

They created the fire

dismissed the science

crucified the logic

sold fictional stories

attacked churches

in front of the mosques

displayed vulgar strength

Spewed venom

wiped out the love

pitched one against the other

killed solidarity

created false consciousness

The men and women

aspiring for best of best

sold their conscience

and clapped, sang, danced

The ivory tower war mongers

screamed out of their lungs

from their AC studios

for their master’s dictum

No question raised on

poor becoming poorer

rich becoming richest

life becoming hectic

and living itself becoming a struggle

The fire is widespread

reached the most private of private spaces

kitchens and bedrooms

devouring village after village

man by man, and woman by woman

did not spare little flowers

and butterflies!

Sexual violence normalized

impunity ruled

people are divided

from North to South

to East to West

now, mobocracy decides

food, attire, entertainment

companionships

and the very life

The men created the fire

the very victims of the fire

carried it all the way

The men violated the social contract

demanded absolute surrender

trust is lost

faith crumbled

so did life

What remained?

the insatiable hunger of those men

and the wildfire they created

Now the men

who created the fire

Cannot quench the inferno

even as they lay out

the rules of their new game

History may not be kind to them

but what about the engulfed lives!

Will they ever forgive us?

For our silence!

*

Image: Rajasekhar Chandram