of rights and blights

Rights - the goddamn Rights
the citizens and the denizens
the peoples and the politicians
the power brokers and the power creators
the starved and the well fed
the poor and the rich
the disciples and the gods.

Rights - they exist in abundance
for each one for every one
attaining different parameters but always there
but the convulted textbook left out the Duties
Rights to perform Duties.

we cling to Rights and shirk from Duties
it's always not mine but somebody else's
and the leaders scream from rooftops
what they forgot to do or don't want to
from rostrums of glory they address the shackled
birth Rights, human Rights, dying Rights - blah, blah
the votes they gain theirs by Right
and Duties - there weren't born to perform
so forgive them and save the world.

Enlightenment

the room was graced by a soft glow
my legs were deep long shadows on the opposite wall
late in the night when it should have been dark
and the domain of the nocturnal creatures start
the little table lamp was lit.

for months it lay in a corner
desolate, unused, covered with dust
days, when the power it held
was a prisoner of its shell.

the darkness for it was comforting
but it was a dream, a mirage
for in its very bosom it held light
the essence of its creation.

so I told it
evolve from the dark you lamp
of your meagre light do not guilt
when all the lamps the world over shine
will you create enlightenment
Suddenly the room became bright.

A Tribute

A FEELING OF ELATION AND SUPREME JOY
HEADY GIDDINESS OF A CONQUERING ARMY
STANDING ATOP A MOUNTAIN PEAK
REACHING OUT TO A PASSING CLOUD
GLIDING ACROSS MY OUTSTRETCHED HANDS.

A MOUNTAIN PEAK OF SAND AND CEMENT
SALUTE TO A BRICKLAYER'S SKILL
AWED BY THE CARPENTER'S DRILL
STRENGTHENED BY A STEELMAN'S PLIERS
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, HIGHER EVERYDAY
WHILST TOILING UNCOMPLAININGLY.

A SLIP AND A FALL, DOWN TO ETERNITY
APPEASING THE GODS, AN ALTAR OF SACRIFICE
BUT TO DEFY THEM, IS TO CREATE
A SKYSCRAPER
MY PEDESTAL TO THE UNIVERSE.