Election Brawl

Dr Ranbir Laishram
Election time has come
Leaving behind a spell of political turmoil;
Amid Covid -19 pandemic chaos,
Struggle for survival,
And roar of mighty leaders,
And social unrest all around.

Faces tested ones, some new,
Known to all but masked man in public,
Back on our sidewalk walls and medians,
Pasted,grinning at us with folded hands
for precious votes.
Every candidate claims no defeat;
Already a mighty man before poll,
Shouts of empty pledge
A ritual, pre - election exercise.

People,young and old,
Arm against themselves,
For and against idols of politics,
Fight amongst themselves,
Using harsh menacing words,
Thrashing and slaying one another,
A free - for - all to no visible goal.
Amid soaring price of essentials ,
Foodgrains sold like hot cakes,
The joy of feasts everywhere,
Drugs, liquors flooding the locality,
Physical abuse and verbal fights ,
Claims and counterclaims,
Promises made only to be utterly forgotten.

Oh human !
Sit in solitude a few moments,
Talk to your inner self,
Are you doing justice to your brethren ?
Allowing yourself to mobilise like soldiers ,
Moving with guns, knife in pocket ,
Killing your own sibs ,
Who are losers of the mindless violence ?
The people who sell their ballots
Or the so-called people's servant moving in red beacon Mercedes-Benz car ?
Dear populace, election is no war,
Vote but not kill opponents,
Forgiveness is a virtue
Please remember,
Election worths but not thy life.