Hapless Resonance

As a journalist, I used to travel far-off lands

The nights were Misty & days were full of sands

Have met so many souls till today

Some were happy, some were sad

Some were lucky, some unlucky

Few were contented, few were fortunate

Others were unhappy & rest were frustrated

Today when I try to point any one among the crowd of faces

A little boy still haunts me even today

In those days, I was covering incidents on riots

The boots of police, the curfew, the sufferings , the hate & malice

The spectacle of blood soaked bodies, wreathing in pain

Crying in agony & desperation

There was nobody to pay heed to them

And they were desisted from the rest of the nation

In the evening, I was strolling in the vicinity

Suddenly a battered little boy came up & begged for water

I offered him some food & asked his whereabouts

His parents became victims of the rampage

Broken heart, scarred face but a simple smile on lips

Threw a strange question to me, “ Teach me How to Hate !!’’

I was speechless, looking forwards but he was smiling, hunting for answers

‘’Everybody told me to hate them, I tried but failed, please teach me that !!”

Those words still reverberate in my ears

Years have passed but still carry that boy in my heart !!