It seems the earth is cracking up
Taps, rivers, rivulets, springs, wells
Are squeezed dry
Selfishly man drowns his own hopes and aspirations
As he rents the earth’s entrails
To earn and prosper
Material wealth has knotted his pride
He can ruin the hopes of others
Who ramble up and down the ladder of life
Awaiting a few glasses of water
To quench the thirst of his family
With cans in hands he rushes towards a tap
The dried up… soaks his hope
He can live without food but water
The nectar of life denies his already dried up hope
We, the living are senseless, harsh and severe
We dig, dig and dig… the hopes of others
By ruining the environment, destroying flora and fauna
Curving our misdeeds to our benefit
While the poor, the meek and the lowly
Walk miles and miles away to fetch a glassful
The dreadful summer heat
Burns the skin
Burns their hopes for tomorrow
They cannot roast their meal
They cannot sleep on an empty stomach
Their throats parched and dried
Lick their lips
They perspire and sweat in the dusk of the day
With a hope for tomorrow
Looking up to heaven
To envelope their sorrow
Perhaps a floating cloud will ease their pain
As human beings, we have failed.
~Shobha Diwakar
Jabalpur, India
It’s a very realistic poem. This is what is happening even today & we haven’t still learnt a lesson that in the days of plenty we should be frugal & not waste & destroy our resources. We have to learn to respect each gift of God bestowed upon us.