Decades later, his voice still heard:
Sustainable, organic, and home-grown.
We’re reaping what he’d wisely sown:
Ahimsa*, respect, main keywords.
His foresights make us rethink world,
A balanced outlook, clearly shown.
For humble, simple life was well-known,
Ethics, morality, old school words.
Respect for Nature, he felt strong,
Cared not for race, religion, caste.
For his principles, he struggled long,
Transcending maya*, vision is vast.
A global beacon, inspired peace,
Empowered schools, villages, farms.
Mahatma* gave us a new lease,
Changed our history without firearms.
*L’ame: The Soul of the Mahatama
*Ahimsa: Non-violence
*Maya: The illusory material world, according to Hindu philosophy
Of Indian origin, Sultana Raza has an M.A. in English Literature. Her articles and fiction have appeared in numerous publications in English and French. Sultana Raza’s poems have been published in many journals, including London Grip (UK), Literary Gazette(USA), Caduceus (Ed. Yale University, USA), , the Peter Roe Series, (Tolkien Society UK), Muse India, andThe New Verse News, Catch and Release (Columbia’s online Journal), and Indiana Voices Journal. Her fiction has received an Honorable Mention in Glimmer Train. More at https://sultanaraza.com/about/
Ms. Raza, on this day of all days in U.S., we particularly need this kind of poem. Many thanks to you (and Evan for posting it.) Your phrase “a balanced outlook, clearly shown” rings clear, is somehow the essence of what we need today. Many thanks again.
Sultana ma’am, greetings!
This poem is really an ode to our Father of the nation – quite accurate in saying that how his core principles still are what must lead man to leading life in the truest sense.
Lovely indeed.
Regards
An important write on this Great Soul on the vignettes of his principles and practices, Sultana Raza. Mahatma Gandhi’s flagship for peace and non-violence in this global hemisphere is an important refresher as we celebrate his birth on October 2, 1869. My own contribution is revealed in a PDF from our McMaster University here in Canada in the Faculty for Humanities on the Gandhi Peace Festival:
http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/gandhi
The 25th Annual Gandhi Peace Festival, Saturday, September 30, 2017.
TFS.
Sorry for my very late reply. I was travelling a lot last year, and lost track of my own poem in the midst of many other wonderful ones on this website. Your Gandhi Peace Festival is very laudable indeed.
Very beautiful sentiments in this moving poem. Thank you.
I apologise for the very late response to all of you. I’m afraid I overlooked my own poem, as I was constantly pulled into other great poems on this website. Thanks to all of you for your kind words.