I walk on this planet,
looking looking
wondering, wondering
being amazed
at the beauty around.
I was silently thanking the Spirit
for its generosity ,
for giving me the energy
to be curious
to be perceptive
to be creative;
and for giving me the chance
to witness all that was around me.
Life also gave me the chance
to express my thoughts,
my feelings of exultation,
to witness and to wonder
about life and many other things.
I walked into my living room
switched on the television
and saw a carnage going on;
couple of young men
shooting indiscriminately
in a Mumbai hotel.
I could here the shouts
the screams and the gun shots;
I also felt the pain of people
who had just fallen
either dead or close to it.
I heard their screams
felt their pain in my body
their death in my soul.
I could almost hear their breaths
breaths that could be the last one
they would take on this planet.
I could see their eyes
going out of focus
a darkness falling around them.
The same beautiful world
I was wondering about
only a few moments ago.
I asked
what have these victims done wrong?
except,
they just happened to be
on the wrong place
at the wrong time.
These people might have been there
just for a drink or a meal
with their loved ones
or just to celebrate a happy event.
The death rushed in
from nowhere,
did not give them
few more moments
to enjoy their last evening.
I wondered what these people
were thinking a moment ago,
what were their plans for the evening
for the day next
for the week
or for the next month?
I wondered if their wives,
their young children
were waiting at home;
not knowing that
they would not return,
to give them another hug of a kiss.
I did not spare a thought
for the young men with guns,
until I had switched the TV off,
and came to my bed.
Only then it hit me;
my God,
these youngmen
must have their mothers, sisters, wives
waiting too at home.
These innocent mothers, sisters, wives
would probably haven’t had a clue
where their loved ones had gone
or what they were doing?
Only difference between the
victims and the killers
I could think of,
the killers choose to be there
and the victims
happened to be there.
If one could
borrow the logic of these gunmen,
both the killers and the victims
were there at the right time
at the right place
to kill and to be killed.
It all depends upon
what logic
society has given the killers
to justify their actions.
Being an artist,
I have little advantage,
I can look at the events
with little detachment;
and share with you;
my feelings,
my realisations
through my words,
lines and colours.
Avtarjeet Dhanjal
12/2/2008