Poetry

This Diwali

This glorious festival of lights

Welcomes the New Year

So swiftly passes and merges into the next

Bringing hope and joy to all;

We clean our homes,

Throw out the rust and decay,

Polish and shine the walls for luster:

Hang ‘diyas,’ candles, lamps and

Colored lights to decorate

And outshine our neighbors humble efforts

To display the same… there is competition.

Who doles out more money to display his wealth?

Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, seated on the lotus,

And Ganesh for wisdom and good luck

Seated on the humble mouse,

Offered delectable sweets, fruits and garlands

To bless our homes,

Come Diwali and crackers will burst your ears

Some at the dead of night will show their

Discourteous cracking to disturb the quiet night

In peaceful slumber;

Pause a while:

What if people come together and take a vow

Not to waste power;

 Not to pollute the environment;

Not to disturb the young, the old, the sick

The birds, the animals who rush to hide

Just as Chicken Little claimed and ran

Thinking that heaven was falling apart;

What if we take a vow this Diwali

And pray to God to bring peace and prosperity

In this world

To remove the rust and decay settled within

And open our hearts towards the meek and helpless.

To eradicate miseries and bring comfort

To those who have lost their dear ones

In terrorist attacks, and war

Here, there and everywhere

Let us light the lamp of gratitude

Within us to make this planet

A paradise on earth

Let us come together and pray

To the Almighty

“Lead kindly light amidst the encircling gloom

Lead thou me on…”

                                                ~Shobha Diwakar

                                                  Jabalpur, India

One Comment

  1. It’s a very well written poem. Hope people do change their selfish attitude, be more thoughtful & considerate than they have been so far.