(Public submission)
Theme: Before/After COVID
Artist Statement:
We, humans, have changed a lot along with the changing world. We all have become technology slaves, social media addicts, workaholics and have started to ignore our families, emotional quotients and even basic kindness. With COVID around, we are now forced to stay at home. We have started to understand each other, respect and appreciate every individual who were not noticed so far. This poem is about the life after COVID and how we should not go back to the old practices, forget all the lessons we have learnt during the pandemic and thank the Lord for another chance given to us for corrective ourselves.
A PAUSED CLOCK
The clock was working;
HE kept it ticking.
Greed and lust; Pride and guilt;
Jealous and haughty; spiteful and hostile;
Fanaticism of religion, language, caste and creed
Overpowered all the virtues.
Family, charity and kindness; took the back seat.
Money, power and fame rode the vehicle.
The clock stopped;
HE just paused it.
Caught in the tornado of malady and deaths
Locked up in our own houses, states and countries
Stopped reaching the outer world
Started searching the inner selves
Feared, realised, regretted;
Loved, shared, expressed
And prayed for the first time
Not for us; But for the world.
The clock will start ticking;
HE will give the key again.
That day will come my dear; AND when it does
Work, earn, save, spend, share and spread
Not the money; not the fame;
Not the hatred; not the pride.
But the love, goodwill and selflessness
You found in your inner you
Don’t change again with the ticking clock
There might not be a second chance in stock.