The fatal flaws of Shakespearean tragedies cause empathy for them, unlike the smiling conceited villains of these days, rues Harinder, in this verse, exclusively for Different Truths.

Hamlet had a tormented soul.
He was sure of nothing at all.
His mind was confused; he lacked clarity.
And wasted a lifetime debating “To be or not to be.”
He knew wrong had been done.
He knew he was the wronged man’s son.
And yet kept on only contemplating revenge.
People of his time could only exhibit so much patience.
And then there was Lady Macbeth so shaken.
For all the perfumes of Arabia could not sweeten
Her bloody hands.
And today, we are living on this Land,
That boasts of smiling villains.
Every day their numbers are growing by millions.
They kill without a cause.
They play with their knives without a pause.
They slit throats with unimaginable ease.
And proudly tell others about their expertise.
I beg you, oh! My Lord!
Save the people! Save this world!
Let people think before they act.
The voice of their conscience should
Stop them from committing evil deeds.
To kill someone, where is the need?
Save us from vultures that eat flesh raw.
We don’t mind more Hamlets being
Born with the same tragic flaw.

Picture design by Anumita Roy

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.