A powerful statement about man, material and god, in this evocative verse, by Harinder, exclusively for Different Truths.

Caught in the web of temptations,
Man cannot break free 
It is not easy to follow Lord Buddha
It is difficult to get enlightened under a tree
Bereft of spirituality, life becomes a misery
The idol of Buddha is no
Source of inspiration for him
In fact, it is just a decoration piece,
An auspicious item
He places it in the middle of
Expensive crystal pieces
And the idol of Lord Buddha seems to smile
At the far placed statue of Lord Jesus
Perhaps conveying it softly without making a sound
That the Man has brought the Gods back to
The material world which they had once renounced.

Picture design by Anumita Roy, Different Truths

Harinder Cheema

Harinder Cheema is a renowned poetess and an internationally published author. Her novel, ‘The Temple Stop’ received ‘The Best Book of the Year Award 2020’ by Aghaaz, Author in You. She is the co-author of 17 poetry anthologies. Her short stories have been published in the coffee table books. Her articles have been published in various international magazines, and she has also received many prestigious honours and awards in the field of literature.