The purpose of life, the fate of our souls;
All religions give a meaning to life,
Joy, peace and love are united goals.
Trinity or karma, moksha or Torah,
The eight fold path or selfless submission-
Divided by scriptures and tenets many,
Yet, One Supreme is the common vision.
Religion preaches a selfless cool mind,
A life led by the warmth of the heart;
But the world has just felt the cold in death
And the red heat of a human, torn apart.
Religion now is the dark barren land
With vultures of hell hovering above,
Smelling of deceit and feeling hollow-
No signs of humanity, no left love.
We share the same planet, sun and moon,
The same skies and seas were gifted to all;
He visioned not what we built between us-
Of caste and creed- this treacherous wall.
Religion must feel like the invisible air,
Your caste or mine, none can touch it;
As free as the water, on oceans lay bare,
Your caste or mine, none can claim it.
Religion is not slaughtered flesh and meat,
Or neighbour’s blood spreading from north to south;
It is as priceless as bread and water would
Taste, to a ten day hungry and thirsty mouth.
Not the stink of stale blood, nor of rotting corpse,
Religion but has the fragrance of the rose,
With silent love, it smells the same to each nose,
Royal and serene, no matter where it grows.
Religion stands for a united world,
To give and forgive, to love and embrace,
Rising above self, choosing the true path,
To leave the Earth, with a soul of grace.
I would have agreed we are different,
If your blood was yellow, and mine was blue;
The red drops on our pricked fingers but lie
Though you are a Muslim, and I, a Hindu.
The bruised and biased mind just says-
This is yours, and that is mine;
Just one word change can change the world-
This is yours, and you are mine.
*1st place winner of TIG poetry contest on religion, January 2011
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