to all those who think U.S. is the 'GREATEST' country in the world...please spare some time and read a book called "it was 5 past midmight at bhopal." by Dominique Lapier...the inspiration for this poem!

you breath...to live
...we breathed...to die
...never to live again!
they called it the laughter gas
...years have passed since we laughed the last time
...the laughter died
...still deep in our throats..raw with unhealed wounds!
our tounges are too scorched to form words
...words to tell our tragic tale
...words to question our unprovoked enemy
who not only killed us, but also, generations to come
...words to plead for mercy!
those of us left to live
...begged for death
...those who died writhed in pain till their last breath!
...our eyes still burn
...not with unshed tears
...but with the ashes of your burning egoes!
you in your A.C coaches and million dollar offices
...never paid for your sins!
...our accusing fingers are still pointing
...looking for the culprit
...but you cowards would never show your faces
...for, though ou hands cannot reach you,
...our cries ring in your ears!
...our memories will haunt you forever
...giving you unspoken fears!
...the memories of a monday of macabre death
...the memories of a nightmare filled with misery and pain
...the memories of a question you'd ask yourself time and again
...did we deserve what you gave us
...what we got???
...and inspite from running forever from the truth
...you will always know
...we did not!


(p.s:this is in reference to th bhopal gas tragedy that took place in 1984...people of bhopal died in their sleep...scorched to death due to breathing a poisonous gas...given out by a U.S based factory...reports proved that the tragedy could have been avoided!)

this poem is dedicated to all those faultless and innocent people who lost their lives in the vietnam war of 1954...i know it's impossible for me to actually feel the pain they underwent but as a spectator, as a person who only read about them in her history book(that is all thats left of them!),this is my ode to them!may their souls rest in peace!


i am alive
...but only just
...not happy with my existence any more
...i carry on my shoulders the burden of the whole world
...mine at least
...the ashes of my brother
...the remains of my father
...the agony of all my kith and kin!
life has not been fair to me
...though it showed enough mercy to let me live
...live..to die everyday
...live..to see those millions being left alone
...uncared for..just like me!
...indeed!
...life has shown enough mercy to let me live through it all!
i think about my future
...something that i haven't given much thought
...i am not anxious or scared
...just a little distraught!
don't pity me for i have lived
...survived to see the ruins of a house
...a village
...a nation..once my home!
i have come a long way
...from the streets of where i lived
...to the pages of a history book
...a million people flip through it everyday
...unknown to me..unconcerned too!
...some don't bother too see me
...some stop and stare at my face..trying to guess my story
...but the words written below my photograph
tell the story of my entire being
..."a native of a vietnamese village
...ravaged by U.S. bombing"

...are u really there or is this all make believe...u r by my side but i still feel like i'm hallucinating...u touch me but the spell doesn't break, it just becomes more real...your fingers drum on my skin and speak the words u r too shy too say...yes, shy!....ironic isn't it?....it should ideally be the other way round...the times spent with u are times away from life itself...i can live them all over again...in fact, i do!...all i can say is...u r the most beautiful dream i have ever had!
your forever,
princess

ps:this is straight from the heart for someone who is closest to it...kindly excuse if u find it too sappy...and if u don't...well...thanks for understanding!