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(With apology to Alfred Lord Tennyson)
Dr. Jernail pens a poem as we are preparing to ring out the old and ring in the New Year 2020, for Different Truths.
When the year is in its last loop,
And may come down in a whoop,
It is time to thank the gods,
For this life and its blended soup.
It is also time to count the dead,
The deceived, and the manipulated,
And all the lot,
Put to sword in your name O Lord!
O wild bells! We pray
Ring out crime, lust, and debauchery
Ring out love for others’ wealth.
From mine and every country.
O bells! give a warm lap to every child
Let there be no children of want.
Give each shelter or
They will throw civilisation helter skelter.
Bells! Ring in the year 2020
Which evenly divides its bounty
Discriminations, divisions, hatred halt.
Switch on love, joy and beauty.
Ring in wild bells the Lady of Shallot
Let her have her love, Sir Lancelot.
Ring in a brave world,
Where men animals and birds coexist.
Bells! before you ring in the new year
Make it stop at the threshold,
Make it swear, by Waris*
And commission him to re-write Heer.
Bells! we want the nightingale back,
And the cuckoo bird,
Shepherds! Retreat!
We welcome back the romantic fleet.
Bells! Who listens to you
When on church tops you chime?
You are only ceremoniously there,
In vain marking time.
O wild bells! rings have shifted
Their habitat to mobile.
You are helpless, yet like us,
Only in name and frame survive.
Poet’s note: *Waaris Shah was great poet of undivided Punjab, who wrote the great romance, Heer Ranjha. They loved but could not unite in this life.
Photo from the Internet
