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Wednesday, May 12, 2010

On Heads We Stand

Are we celebrating violence every second of our time on earth? Oppression and opportunity seem to have a lot more in common than  just being words starting with 'opp'.

 


I look back at what
We humans have achieved
And see million heads buried
Deep in the sorry earth
Stepping-stones for success
As man climbs over man.

The faster he rose
Deeper embed were the heads
Of countless women
Untouchables
Embattled Jews
Blacks, browns and the yellow
Multitudes of the abled-differently
Mentally, physically or sexually
The poor and the illiterate.

Look closer and you see
The heads are no longer heads
But building blocks called
OPPORTUNITY
Hardened blood, flesh and tears
Molded into depressions
That feels easy
As we march eyes ahead
With feet cushioned
In up-market styles.

I hear my voice speak
Loud over the daily noise
Of thoughts, dishes, the keyboard,
And the occasional traffic,
Hope it seeps into the unheeding ears
of my son engrossed
in the bloody violence
of ‘Warlords-Battle Cry-II.’
“Don’t tread on toes”
“Don’t use people as footholds”
“Don’t degrade someone to upgrade yourself”
But my words are lost as he counts his points
In gold, metal, gems and grain
And around him lay slain
The bodies of his enemies!


© Nalini Hebbar/openmind/2009 - all rights reserved
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9 COMMENTS:

Lakshmi Rajan said...

History has always celebrated violence in one form or another. Are we not told right from childhood "Fight" for justice?

Vinita Apte said...

Violence is something humans live by...don't forget that even cartoons have so much of violence in it. Survival of the fittest and law of the jungle are the words. Even though we don't want to follow it...we eventually get sucked into this deep dark mire.

anatreek said...

Great use of words, really!, You are really talented, loved it:)

Purba said...

“Don’t use people as footholds”
“Don’t degrade someone to upgrade yourself”

Absolutely.....

Nalini Hebbar said...

thanks :)...your comments make my day

Hemanth Potluri said...

violence is never the solution ...if peace prevails then it would so awesome :)..

urs..hemu..

bollywoodstylediaries said...

violence breeds violence..and we get programmed from an early stage to do and accept violence as way of life..sorry state of things:(

Vyazz said...

Empires are built upon the bones of the ones defeated.
Its a simple yet gruesome process of kill or be killed!!
Its a pity that humans claim themselves to be most civilized, but resort to brute force to get what they want!!!
Made a nice read!!!

Rajendra Raikwar said...

good one