Poetry
Raw Impulses
A Poem by PARVINDER MEHTA
The roads do not question its travelers,
selflessly taking us to our destination.
winding and coiling in anticipation,
the ultimate end.
The flowers do not ask us about our gods
merely pleasing with fragrance and beauty,
blooming and withering in silent acknowledgement,
of that eternal beauty.
The air we breathe does not ask us our faith,
simply looming and then abating.
Filling up empty worlds,
willing to subsume all that matters.
The rain that drenches us does not pick and choose,
showering all willful souls,
immersing and seeping our bodies with peace.
A child's cry, piercing the heart,
looking for that comfort and re-assurance
a world not lost,
does not inquire the listener's devotion.
Why does it then matter
when a man venerates differently,
when a woman believes another divinity?
O why have we forgotten these raw impulses,
These inner essences.
Why can't our humanity, our worship transcend the
Prejudices of symbols?
If only we could, if only we could …
First published in The Journal for The Institute of Sikh Studies.
December 6, 2011
Conversation about this article
1: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), December 07, 2011, 1:50 PM.
What a beautiful poem about universality, without the taint of dogma and hatred!
2: Kavita Singh (Michigan, U.S.A.), January 07, 2012, 7:11 PM.
Lovely poem ... a pleasure to read.
3: Rajwant Kaur Khalsa (Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A.), March 20, 2012, 11:41 AM.
Loved it! You are so right: if the whole universe flows praising the Lord of the Universe, why can't we all live in our compassionate heart with acceptance of one another ...
4: Andy Gillster (Guildford, United Kingdom), April 30, 2012, 2:57 PM.
Wonderful poem ... Beautiful!
5: Ramneet (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.), June 28, 2012, 11:58 PM.
An impeccable poem conveying a deep message in it. It brings forth the novel concept which Guru Nanak brought to the fore for humanity.