FEATURELESS AND WHITE

This night of the long vigil 
has betrayed my soul. 
Columns of smoke arise 
from the landscape of shrines. 
There is no need now, 
to sing the praise of oblique wars. 
Truth has made 
a big dent in my heart. 

The tears of the bronze statue won’t stop, 
they are mixed with blood. 
Its pain for pain hurts the flesh. 
Orphaned kids move in a circle, 
their parched lips in silent prayer. 
Remains of bread crumbs strewn on road. 

The stench rises from the trash. 
A face swims, 
of our demolished culture. 
Even the vultures are gone. 
The dead and living start talking. 
Tainted blood flows in dead veins. 
Featureless & white.

Satish Verma