the PROPHET

When the sky was so sultry and brown, and the clouds cast a picture of gloom, Where mankind had learnt only to frown A little flower began to bloom. It rose amidst the thorns and stretched, its little petals athwart the sand, smiled at one and all, it etched A message of love across the land. But Mankind was ill-prepared for love, it prevailed only on basis of hate, Then why welcome this gift from above, when presented to them on a silver plate. They knew not,what? The meaning to life, or had learnt to admire beauty of nature, Building its foundation on hate and strife, So uncanny, so brutal, so immature. So,how could it receive this virtuous child, Who had been sent to make the savage tame, To lead the out from the dark and wild, and relinquish the life of ugliness and shame. It taught of laughter to those who cried, It taught of love where hatred was sown, The salt on faces of tears now dried, Once more with happiness it now shone. Slowly it sunk in the hearts of few, Then increased to cover many a land, Its followers in trains of retinue grew, From one to thousands, it did expand. Where hatred was, now love did it find, Like a treasure grove deep within, Discovered virtue that had, when blind shown love and beauty akin to sin. Now mankind learnt the gift to bestow, Of friendship, truth and sincerity, It moved swiftly like a river's flow, And soon was on way to prosperity. Its teachings were very simple and plain, There was no bar to cast or creed, It did not matter be sunshine or rain, Was both for rich and poor to heed. The basic principle was not the belief, Nor did it matter where one was born, Which path to follow, what was relief, for with every rose there was a thorn. Every religion shared the same basic fate, Shower your love and be of one, Now come join this train,it's not too late, There's still a plenty left to be done. Thus the story went of love and amity, Such that one had never known, Gone were the days of calamity With the seeds of love that now sown. Love that took over peoples hearts, Spread like peace all over the land, Gave both to young and old new starts, Like sweet water to a thirsty sand. As Mankind began to settle in, To this ironic life without enterprise, But with this peace came another sin, No more the fun, no more the drive. People deprived of this will to live, with reasons to survive all but lost, not knowing how to share and give, Now Mankind began to pay the cost. Slowly as the days went passing by, And when the storm began to lift the dust, then what the prophet saw with naked eye, the sufferings to mankind were unjust. It now realized that all was not right, It wasn't merely just hate or greed, Where darkness met beyond the light, Mankind itself was of a different breed. It's purpose in life was superiority, selfishness being just merely a dare into leading a life as a formality, It could not believe, it did not care. For had this not been God's intention, then how such an inferior world became, One so replete of apprehension, Where live and let die, meant the same. Hunger was the present for the needy, so what could a starving child insist, seeing the life of rich and greedy, and paying for sins it did not commit. The prophet now covered its face, Too big a task, and nothing at stake, It turned away in shame and disgrace, And realized the Big Fight, all a fake. Then once again the lights were down, Once more it faced eternity On faces had returned the marks of frown. The world now smelt of omneity. For this is the only way we know, And if this is the way we shall remain, When hatred is the seeds we sow, Sorrow shall be our eventual gain. We should now try to ask the Rose, To spread it's lovely scent again, Our hopes rest with friends, not foes, The truth is as simple as is plain. So let us try to endeavor, And look up to the facts once more, For our only chance to persevere, Is for us to evenly settle the score. Yet, what we have learnt through history, Mankind has created on earth, a Hell, Where the future lies in its glory, For this alone; only time will tell. Written January 11th, 1990 © on Nov 10 2001 03:26 AM PST   10 • 0 • 13