Dr Amrinder’s poem explores a potential future where a ravaged Earth retaliates against humanity’s destructive greed, envisioning nature’s resurgence after our demise, exclusively for Different Truths.
Was it revenge that Nature sought?
In his web, has Man been caught?
But didn’t he spread like an epidemic
Growing jungles of mortar and brick
At the cost of forests, trees and bees.
Without even a ‘If I may, please.’
From dumb creatures, he took their home
Dislocated, crowded, and bewildered, they roam.
And die, from lack of shelter and basic needs
While he gathers, grabs and hoards in greed.
The very face of Mother Earth he defaces
Yet, not satisfied by her surface resources
He bores deep into her bowels in stealth
To suck her dry, to mine her wealth.
The furnace of his ever-open mouth
Devours all that comes in its path.
Beyond comprehension is his avarice,
No being on earth is as greedy as this.
In return, he pollutes water, land and air
While Nature endures in utter despair.
He chokes her oceans with tons of plastic
Till she is compelled to do something drastic.
One day,
When man is done with depletion
She will inexorably begin the deletion
Of this ravenous, obnoxious creature
From this world, in a not-so-distant future.
For sooner or later, the tables will turn,
In the fires of a self-made hell, he’ll burn
The sun will scorch, and waters will flood
Terror and horror will churn his blood
The winds will lash, clouds will burst
Upon this despicable creature curst
Lightning will strike, the earth will quake
Leaving death and devastation in its wake.
For elemental forces will untie and contrive
To let no hateful, horrible human survive.
With this monster finally extinct,
There will come a change distinct
For, healed and restored, mother earth
To a bright new world, will give birth,
And there will dawn a glorious day
When Nature will again have her way.
The forest will flourish, rivers will flow
Soft winds through rustling leaves will blow
White clouds will sail on bright blue skies
And in lush gardens will flit butterflies.
Birds will sing, and flowers will bloom
For pollution will no longer spell doom.
In this paradise of peace and plenty, I wish to stay
But, for the crimes of my kind, I too will pay.
Picture design by Anumita Roy
Dr Amrinder Kaur Bajaj is a senior gynaecologist, an award-winning author, columnist, and poetess. She also writes editorials for newspapers like The Times of India, Tribune and India Express. At present, she is attached to FMRI (Fortis Memorial Research Institute) Gurgaon. She also teaches Minimally Access Surgery to national and international postgraduate doctors at The Medicity Gurgaon.
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