Delhi. A Funeral Pyre.
by her child with no name.
And as I sit here today, these countless waves away,
my Delhi, into whose mad, warm, gritty, welcoming arms I fell on that early autumn day,
is welcoming no more.
And as I sit here today with relief, that from her I am so far torn apart,
my Delhi, whose diyas of light that once lit up my heart,
is a funeral pyre.
And as I sit here today, just another child of hers with no name,
I breathe,
I can breathe.
And even as my mother chokes, the stench of relief that I feel,
of being from her so very far,
this vagabond child of hers with no name,
breathes with relief,
to his eternal, asphyxiating shame.
Scribbled Verse 
This piece is kinda sad. As I read it, I cannot help remembering the dying and the dead.
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It is. Deeply sad. The horrors and and pain is unfathomable
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This is a tragedy in Delhi and so difficult for so many people whose lives suffer loss in this pandemic. It is a bitter twist that countries that avoided major loss last year now have to face a deadly wave. Your poem is powerful.
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Thank you, my dear friends! It has been a while and I hppe that you and all those dear to you are well. Yes, it certainly is a bitter twist given that the second wave being so lethal. Wishing you and all our WordPress family well and good health as with people all around who are going through such inexpressibly harsh times. Peace and love to all 🙏🏾
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All is well for my family but we have lost a close friend to covid. And here it is our NHS that has worked well with the vaccination programme and a government that dithered last year and too many lives were lost. Keep well and keep writing. Namastee
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I am truly sorry for your loss, my dear friends. I cannot imagine the pain. May their soul rest in peace 🙏🏾. In such a world where “socialism” is a swear word today, it’s the NHS and other systems that have, thankfully and often miraculously given the problems that plague such government subsidised services, that have worked well if not optimally under severe constraints and being stretched to their absolute limit. And the dithering of government. That is a harsh and regrettably honest description of ours as well. And as is happening in India today, the government is being lambasted for similar reasons. If only the “higher-ups” and “powers-that-be” deemed us common folk down here at ground level worthy of more than just a vote to be sought we’d all be in much more healthier shape as a planet and as countries and of course as citizens and just normal human beings. But alas, “they” are too far removed with their private hospital care etc etc and all their perks to even fathom what people go through so yes tone-deaf they are indeed and ditherers aplenty. Well, at least as long as we people keep the pressure on and hold them to account there is hope that they will begin to do rather than just pontificate. I better hush or else I’ll be typing endlessly on about the strangling of the social-contract and all that that is costing human lives. As ever, my warmest wished to you, my friends, and my heartfelt condolences on your irreplaceable loss. Wishing you all health and safety and warmth and the simple yet most valuable things in these lives we lead. Namaste and Shalom and uKuthula and Salaam and God bless all
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It is good to read your detailed insight into the loss of a social contract and the need for accountability within a fully functioning democracy. I think the young are ‘waking up’ with all the movements and I hope there will be more change. Indeed there must be because we have broken our life support system of nature on this incredibly life affirming planet. I hope India too will come through this crisis to ensure governments build resilient, healthy and just societies. Thank you for your thoughts about our friend. He was a writer and wrote about politics and the responsibilities of authorship. There is a website with his creative writing work. Carl Tighe Blessings to all.
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Thank you very much for sharing such personal thoughts about your dear friend. I will visit the website and as you described him, I realise how he not just a good and dear friend but a fellow traveller as well. For his memory and for the millions of others may we emerge from this bleakness with a deeper, more understanding, less gaudy, more nurturing, less ostentatious, much more kinder, less greed filled, and more humane spirits so that we may at long last and at such an immeasurably high cost give back to this earth our home. and to each other. I think we are of an age where our hopes remain undiminished even as our expectations are tempered, but if the hell that so so many of our fellow human are living through does not shake off the embraced apathy we have seen take a grip of so many, then we shall truly have squandered the opportunity to embrace more sustainable and more equitable ways and means and forms of living on this planet, our only home. Lots of love and thank you for sharing your very personal sentiments by telling us about your dear friend. I shall be visiting the website. Keep well, my dear friends. Lots of love from the southern tip of the continent of Africa ✌🏾❤️🤗
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Yes, a fellow traveller and with deep insights into Eastern European Literature too. We do need to remember who we have lost for the sake of a more equitable and just future. There is some hope in all our connections.
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So veru true and a deep loss. I agree wholeheartedly that there is some hope in all our connections. May our connections and solidarity grow ever more robust and true
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Heartbreaking… poignant
I pray for India and the world 💔
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May yours and all others prayers be accepted. Ameen Amen
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This is an incredibly heartbreaking and tragic, but amazing piece. It’s so sad what’s happening in the world right now. I absolutely agree that it’s time to spread compassion and kindness. 💕
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I thank you for your generous and kind words. Yes, how sad it is and yes indeed, compassion and kindness are what is so needed, along with the basic medical supplies that are in such short supply. I wish you and all those near and dear to you all of the very best healthwise and in every way. Love, kindness, and compassion, as you say, and may the human race rise above all our petty differences and “othering” and be less harsh and more kind, less judgemental and more accepting, less conceited and more understanding and above all may we “see” each other for who we all are – human. simply human. Warmest wishes to you and thank you for your deeply moving words.
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I completely agree with everything you said here. What the world and its people truly need right now is kindness, understanding, and compassion. Like you said, despite our differences, we’re all still human and always have that in common. We need to focus on that and help one another. You’re most welcome, I was very glad to respond to this wonderful piece. Thank you for the kind words and warm wishes. It means a lot to me. Best wishes to you as well, and may you and your loved ones stay safe. 💜
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It’s wonderful to meet a fellow-traveller so to speak 🙏🏽. Wonderful and agree with you completely, my friend
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I agree my friend. Hard days for our world. Time for the world to stand as one. Help the countries in need.
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I agree, my dear friend. As the South African philosophy of uBuntu espouses “I am because we are” – your words are so true. We help each other and get to know each until we don’t see the “other”. Thank you as ever for your generous words and warmest wishes to you and all those dear to you, my friend. 👍🏾
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I live in Michigan. We are struggling. People must follow the rules. I pray we learn. This is a world problem. You and I. Always seeking peace in the mist of confusion.
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Yes, my friend, I have been following the news and Michigan is facing harsh times. Yes, people must follow the rules and appreciate that science and medicine are not perfect by far, but are powerful tools – it’s so sad and tragic really and dangerous of course when we hear potentially lethal conspiracy theorising and the shunning of science and medicine. Of course we don’t merely brush aside other forms of healing and that which gives human beings solace but yes, I too pray that we learn. We don’t have the option nob to, if we are to emerge from what you so eloquently called “the mist of confusion”. Yes, my friend. You and I. Always seeking peace. And may we always endeavour to do just that. Love and wishing the best for you and all of us from South Africa, my brother.
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Wishing you and all of us as the world, I meant, and the wishes are from South Africa 🤗
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Wishing you well. Have some fun and be safe.
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😊 will definitely try, my deer friend
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Reblogged this on johncoyote and commented:
Powerful and needed words shared.
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Thank you, my friend, as ever so very generous and kind. Warmest wishes and love from the southern tip of the African Continent 👍🏾
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