September 21 is declared the International Peace Day by United Nation's General Assembly. On 10th of August, I was supposed to fly from London's Heathrow airport. But a bomb blast attempt was unearthed and all flights were cancelled. It set me thinkin


What is 'Right' and what is 'Wrong'?

"We shall find peace. We shall hear angels.
We shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds"
Anton Chekhov

All ready, packed and set to go,
In a few hours is my flight.
Over the morning's cup of tea,
In the Southeast London home,
I switch on the TV.
And lo and behold!
Like a bolt, the NEWS comes through
There is a bomb scare at Heathrow:
A major terrorist plot has been unearthed,
An attempt to blow up the planes has been thwarted.
And all the flights have been cancelled...

I postpone my departure by five days,
Rebooking my flight for 15th of August-
Our Independence Day...

And it sets me thinking, how insecure we are
In our world today!

On the one hand, unjust wars are fought,
Women and children die every day.
One-armed, one-legged, paralyzed torso-down
children are admitted in the hospitals each day...

One country in enraged revenge,
'Carpet bombs' another for days;
A whole Nation is raised to ground,
In a matter of few days...

Another under the pretext of hiding
the 'Weapons of Mass Destruction'-
the so called WMDs- is attacked,
and within no time destroyed
beyond recognition...

For a few barrels of oil each day,
Thousands of civilians are killed every day,
Prisoners tortured in inconceivable ways,
Women raped in drunken states,
Old testaments and precious relics,
Monuments of culture, history and civilization,
Evidence of human progress over ages,
Of oldest civilization on this Earth-
Are burnt in most callous ways...

On the other hand the terrorist organizations,
Mushroom all over the world every day:
Now their 'Net-works', work with precision,
Planning attacks in every which way...
Planes are highjacked, market places are bombed,
Trains and underground transport systems
Are blown up in various ways...

And now they are so desperate in their efforts,
Ready to lay down their lives for the 'Cause'!
They have taken to 'Suicide-Bombing'-
A novel way to attack-
Young lads still in their 'Teens',
Are 'chosen' for the 'sacrifice'!
Back-packed with bombs hugging their young bodies,
They blow themselves up, killing thousands around,
No evidence is left, no one is arrested,
The perpetrator dies with the bomb...

And we stand gaping in unbelievable surprise,
And are stupefied with shock:
Why have the things come to such a pass?
You are not sure the person next to you,
Is a friend, or a foe in disguise?

Why can't we overcome our differences,
And live in peace and harmony?
Why can't we consider ourselves as brothers,
Why can't we be friends?
We are all 'God's Children'- the human species.
Why can't one Nation help the other?
Why can't one religion 'tolerate' the other,
Why can't one man love another...

These question keep popping up in mind...

No war is a just war,
No war hero, is really a hero,
There is no 'cause' for terrorism,
No reason is valid to fight,
No reason to take innocent lives-

When so many innocent lives are at stake,
When so many human beings die,
There, where human lives are in question,
It can only be 'Wrong';
No 'Cause' can be 'Right'!

It just cannot be 'Right'!

And,
I sit in the No-Man's-Land of Existence,
Contemplating
What is 'Wrong', and what is 'Right'?


And people queue up out side the airport,
Rain-drenched, insecure, stupefied...


Author: Zoya Zaidi
London, 10th August 2006
Aligarh (UP), India
Copyright ©: Zoya Zaidi




Poetry by Zoya Zaidi
Read 798 times
Written on 2006-09-22 at 02:30

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Veld Cooper
You are dead on target, Zoya. As you know, you and I are at one with putting an end to all this mindless suffering and violence.
Veld
2006-09-25


Camillaa
Yes, its true. Your text is really powerful.
Very good work !!
/ C *
2006-09-25


Zoya Zaidi
So true! My dear Liam, Thanks for that in-depth analysis of a problem, which everyone should realize is threatening to destroy our world. How long will this go on I can't say and when and where it is going to end is anybody's guess. All I want to say is that I hate war, terror and conflicts, and think, and want, every body should; we should mobilize worldwide opinion against it and prevail upon our governments and their policies, upon various organizations. Believe me, it is possible with the Internet these days. Look what a large and lovely community we have formed on the poetbay itself, where people come together and exchange ideas and opinions. It is amazing. It does make a difference. Though small but significant.
Every drop, as they say, in the Ocean counts.
'You may say I am a Dreamer; but I am not the only One'
As MK Gandhi said: 'There is no path to Peace; Peace is the path itself.'
(((Hugs)))
Love,
Zoya
2006-09-24


.
You tell such truths in this writing. As I wrote myself in a poem "without words only silence remains". Your words added to that, because without discussion, resentment soon festers into hatred and ultimately when the killing is done all that will remain is a world of silence. Silence because there are no survivors. Sad, if this is now the world of our present and futures
2006-09-24


Molloh
i think its sad that teens can do something like this, just to prove their loalty to their god, its wrong to kill inesent human lives, but its ok to kill for someones relligion, its not right....i loved this!!:d keep up writing poems of reality...peace..
2006-09-22


Zainab
VERy TRue
Rate :5
2006-09-22


Arti
Yes, I can understand the inspiration behind this. I flew on the 21st, and it was one of the worst journeys ever, though I wasn't flying through London. I was travelling with a laptop, which made things so bad... Made me seriously wonder if I was going to make it home with my laptop and luggage, on my flight.
I agree with your questions... I totally agree with you and Thomas. I wish more people would read this, and think about it. THought-provoking, intelligent write here, Zoya.

"War is not for the weak, it is for the brave!"
That is what they say, in the name of religious faith.
I believe any endeavor to kill, is an effort depraved.
My heart cringes in shame at the weeping wraiths...
Must war be the solution to every problem on my earth?
Is this the world in which more innocent lives will take birth?
2006-09-22


lastromantichero The PoetBay support member heart!
zoya you have touched a pulse her sweetheart and your poetry continues to be a joy on this site none more than this gem rgds mike
2006-09-22


Saga
Ever watched "the Kingdom of Heaven" Orlando Bloom's character said it best, "We fight over a land that is not ours, but God's". It is sad that the most dangerous being on the planet are the ones who created the concept of "civilized". Great piece, Zoya!!!!
2006-09-22


BlueyedSoul
Again you have your hand on the pulse of humankind's wretched condition....you have expressed what we all have thought and felt at one time....i can only wonder where it will all end....a sad and uncivilized state we live in this year of 2006.

great expression of heart Zoya

hugs ~ Blue
2006-09-22


Zoya Zaidi
Thanks Thomas,
That is exactly my point:

No voilence can be right!

No war is justified!

Can Peace be got by War?

((Hugs))
Love,
Zoya
2006-09-22