Solemn Soldier
I joined the army employment-sake; He did the same too;
I from India; He from Pakistan; though both blooms new;
Countries sought enmity; we looked for eternal friendship,
We're no traitors; advocates of peace who sought fellowship...
A simple smile, like fresh-flower, when in morning we met,
With no greeting of goodnight sleep, our sun did never set;
He from his border; I from mine; life-stories we did share,
In times of illness and pain, for each other we did care...
His festivals became mine; mine his; as though countrymen,
We seemed rising from our home lands as global citizens;
Amid many gifts we shared on moments memorable,
A solemn soldier in glass-globe, greatly admirable...
When I wished to know of his marriage he said benignly,
He had duties for his elder sisters waiting humbly;
It's when, like trustworthy brother, he fulfills his duty,
His life, like perennial orchids, will find true beauty...
With sun-rises and sets and season's changes time went by,
Our friendship, like a colorful kite, day-by-day soared high;
Conditions of our countries, we had, but just bird’s eye view,
Our roles to our lands, as soldiers, as sure as life we knew...
There, then fell, like fire, the edict of emergency,
Troops, like sheep on shepherd's voice, stood in restless urgency;
Our brains, like roughest of tiger-leather, got gently washed,
Every soldier, drunk in wine of patriotism, stood sloshed...
As docile as gentle most lambs, we took our place in rows,
Did I ever know, like sheep against wolves, your troops arose?
Orders obeyed, for a moment, my thought of you got erased,
Did you feel the same too? If so, why did you get razed...?
Studied, it’s my bullet that killed you, made me sad and mad,
How come my damn destiny made me miserably bad?
War over as loan soldier I returned to the border,
Burdens full; tears rarely shed; with glass-globe solemn soldier...!
16 December 2021
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