Just break this silence......!

Far away
up in the north
where the sun used to dance
and the moon used to sing
on rivers beats
and wind used to kiss
the mountain peaks
there is nothing now ...
but
a river of greed
a land of sorrows
a valley of emptiness.

In this valley of emptiness
men and stones are frozen
men no longer know how to think
men no longer feel
they no longer care of the present
they no longer talk of the future
they happily forget the past too
here...
nothing but sadness grows.

Burdened with the grief of silence
weight of separation
wearing the clothes of indifference
they don't cry either
they stay silent
bow their heads
they nod
and go away like cows and sheep
they dream of dying
as they say their prayers....
when they bow their heads for a Sajda
when they leave their homes
for an unknown journey.....!

But will it help?
if not, so cry .....
break this silence
break this chain
chain of slavery
cry, cry for you are not dead
and fight
fight with a pride
and the hope will shine forth
in the eyes of a dreamer
in the innocence of a child
in the smile of a bride
in the melody of a singer
in the lyrics of a poet
in the pain of a widow
in the toil of a farmer
in the blood of a martyr.....!
so just fight
shout
and cry
just break this silence!
for silence is death!
and let them know
that we too live in the present
that we too can fight
fight for our land
fight with a pride
fight for our pride.


Farid Gul, 6th June, 2009, London