LEONARD DABYDEEN

 

LEONARD DABYDEEN

 

An Eye For An Eye

(Terzanelle Poem)

 

An eye for an eye blinds the entire world.

By this action one negates the whole truth;

And so creates a boomerang unfurled.

 

With bitter hate and villainous uncouth,

There is fallacy that might is right, thus

By this action one negates the whole truth.

 

With sordid haste, being so atrocious,

The world’s play-book flutters with rage, selfish;

There is fallacy that might is right, thus.

 

By this token, without any blemish,

An eye for an eye may seem justified;

The world’s play-book flutters with rage, selfish.

 

While millions of people are petrified,

Flailing hopes and dreams only fantasy

An eye for an eye may seem justified.

 

All lives  matter in eyes of Gandhiji;

An eye for an eye blinds the entire world.

Flailing hopes and dreams only fantasy;

And so creates a boomerang unfurled.

 

Namaste Gandhiji

 

Footprints on the sands of time

glow with birthmark

each glittering step

unshaken and challenging

not by yielding to temptation

but thirst for truth

for the awakening of men

for soul-searching

in glimpses of the Transvaal

for monsoon moments

in vestibules of maharajas

turnstiles in South Africa

under a mango tree in India

ricocheting in global rumbles

for peace and non-violence

and as the wind whispers

in a stormy weather

where wars create bedrocks

for sleepless journeys

I clasp my hands

in solemn gesture

as if it were the beginning

of the end

namaste, Gandhiji.

 

 

Listen, Listen To Bapu’s World

Brief

Born: October 2, 1869, Porbandar, India

Full name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Assassinated: January 30, 1948, New Delhi, India

 

suno suno hai duniya vaalo baapoo ke amarikahaanee

 

OF TRUTH (i)

(Fib Poem)

How

to

begin

telling you

where to look for Truth

it speaks from your mind, and your heart.

When mind is weak, heart palpitates

and Truth becomes so

fragmented

fragile

as

glass.

 

 

NON-VIOLENCE (ii)

(Fib Poem)

 

Take

your

weapon

down to ground

Earth is manifold

forbid war; make peace with neighbours.

When you make war, your enemy

is your restless mind

burning hate

raging

with

fire.

 

 

LEONARD DABYDEEN