White Phosphorous

(A poem dedicated to Anna Hazare)

He led a battalion of hearts
taught them to beat as one
like the rhythm of the feet
of a million soldiers marching

His smile was their shield
His hunger strike their ammunition
His patriotism their zeal
His thoughts their direction

Strange it was to see a white bird of peace
Yell blood curling calls of Vande Mataram! 1
a clarion call for every Indian to saddle up
and blow amphibian corruption to smithereens

He sowed seeds of rightful participation
that grew into trees the very next day
trees that spewed fire not shade, assault not glade
on the immoral, unethical enemy brigade

Every kilo he lost was a shrapnel
searching and destroying the foe
his bayonet of truth made injustice thin
a waning, weakening spurious din

He was a seismic intruder
who stopped time in its track
a moral gunner, a quiet runner
with only word-grenades for attack

Now he is in every schoolboy’s satchel
every old man’s dream
he is sacrifice personified
he is a lighthouse in our times grim

He is white phosphorous
to the fraudulent and corrupt
burning malpractices, scalding dishonesty
exposing a malady to its very bones.

1.       A Sanskrit phrase meaning I salute my motherland!

© Vinita Agrawal

Note : when white phosphorous hits the skin of any living creature it burns it and continues to burn it until it has burned through the body. Water will not extinguish it.

Anna Hazare slams Chavan, says fighting elections not enough
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Vinita Agrawal is a freelance writer, researcher and poet from New Delhi, India and has been published many times in print and online journals.

When I look at you

 (The poem is dedicated to the braveheart hunger strikers of Tibet who went without food for 25 days in May 2011 and for seven days in October 2011 in protest against the Chinese illegitimate occupation of Tibet that was forcing young monks to self-immolate themselves. There have been 18 cases of monks setting themselves on fire and dying because the chinese rule does not allow them the freedom to practice their religion)

Photo: The poet along with two of the hunger strikers at the May hunger strike.


When I look at you
I see a mother weeping in a dark corner
a father squatting on a porch
a girl seeking the doorway
I see countless wounds bleeding again
I also see mountains trembling

When I look at you
I see men amongst people
heroes amongst men
saviours amongst heroes
I see brave hearts, I see hope
I see a dream coming back to life.

The Tsangpo is sweet by your promise
the mountains sturdy by your resolve
you are the coral of Tibet’s ruddy winds
the precious turquoise of its soil
the force of its snowy gales...
the balm on the lesions of torn people
You are doves of peace
bringing rest to a scattered million hearts
When I look at you - this is what I see.

© Vinita Agrawal

Self-immolation 'trend' at restive Tibetan monastery
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Vinita Agrawal is a freelance writer, researcher and poet from New Delhi, India and has been published many times in print and online journals.