What you may never have seen or heard
That right above where you see that bird
Ghosts from the past come, perch, and watch us.
Yesterday one of them spoke a word:
‘Listen!’ And I shut all else and heard
A few horrified ghost sounds say: ‘Yes!
We know now that once dead we are one.
Boundaries and religions are not fun.
These kids whom we killed are so like us.’
Calling killer souls aside I said:
‘You in pitch dark gain not in seeing red.
What paradise is you know now well,
Stop howling, crying in your black shed
And let the living world rest in bed.
Go to the kids you killed, let them tell
What they really lost and what is dead.’
I’m told they cried as each kid just said:
‘My dream has been killed’ is all I can tell.
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#PeshawarAttack
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Arvind Passey
17 December 2014
8 comments
Somali K Chakrabarti says:
Dec 17, 2014
Too disturbing. Too shameful.
Arvind Passey says:
Dec 17, 2014
Yes. Even words preferred to remain silent and in hiding as I wrote these lines.
Vani says:
Dec 17, 2014
Wonderfully expresses the agony of the massacre!
Arvind Passey says:
Dec 18, 2014
Thank you for appreciating the poem, Vani.
roger says:
Dec 17, 2014
It’s very sad what happened in Peshawar. I feel disgusted and angry . what did these innocent children ever do to the terrorist. The world is stunned and sir your poem is a much needed tribute . may their souls rest in peace
Arvind Passey says:
Dec 18, 2014
Thank you.
Partha says:
Dec 19, 2014
I am saddened by the fact that in-spite of getting support from India in this matter Pakistan still released the mastermind of Mumbai attack. I am sorry to note that the state that support terrorism, suffer like this. Every time I think of those innocent children I shudder in fear and think – RIP Humanity.
Arvind Passey says:
Dec 20, 2014
What needs to be condemned, must be.