Is Patriotism Here?

This swing of the pendulum between passionate pain and calm detachment,                                                                            

between lyrical abandon and philosophising,                                                                                                  

between love of my country and mockery of patriotism,                                                                                          

between an itch to enter the lists and a longing to remain wrapped in thought,                                                                       

between the dream to come wrapped in a tricolour and urge to live for the nation,                                                                        

Struggles my patriotism and my nationalism!

This mockery of society between secularism and nationalism,                                                                                   

 between love for my citizens and respect for my religion,                                                                                       

 between the riots and march pasts,                                                                                                         

between the cries of my citizens and mockeries of my citizens,                                                                                   

Struggles my patriotism and communalism!

This struggle within my inner self between who is loved passionately in name of patriotism and who is hated passionately in name of patriotism,                    

between the man who vows for revenge and the man who struggles for humanity,                                                                   

 between the terrorist, the nation splitter, the power-hungry and the republic, as Ambedkar envisioned it,                                                  

Struggles my patriotism and my extremism!

For, the more I think, the more I hear the echo,

Is patriotism here?                                                                              

Far from all this all I have got to say is,                                                                                                      

We few, we secular, we happy few, we band of brothers,                                                                                        

 For the one who sheds his communalism and blood for the country, will be my brother.

For yes, it is this where patriotism is here!