(036) Red Ribbon Express Poem by premji premji

‘Red Ribbon Express’
Will reach Cochin tomorrow
Flagged off on December 1st 2007,
She is running very fast
Through the villages and cities,
Takes halt for exhibitions
For making people
More and more aware of AIDS
God knows, when will
She stop running…
She was warmly welcomed in Chennai
And she will be here tomorrow…

During my school days,
Our local newspaper brought together
The news of death of Rock Hudson,
The famous Hollywood actor,
And the new epidemic AIDS

From Rock Hudson,
AIDS flows like River Hudson
It’s easy to find her fountainhead
But what about AIDS,
Who can stop her journey,
With blindfold?

Nelson Mandela lost his son
Kenneth Caunta admitted:
His son died of AIDS
Africa is gone ….

Here in this critical situation also,
You think of Gandhi
Immediate he is here
With a complete solution
He will advice those infected
To practice self imposed
Spiritual isolation, as AIDS is
A byproduct of sexual globalization
He will advice everyone to be virgin
Till they get married,
Every man and woman
Chaste in married life with sexual discipline…
He will advice every parent to
Check the blood of children
Whether infected, rather matching
Horoscopes, before marriage…

But, I am forced to suspect:
Is it a new weapon of
Neo-colonists and imperialists
To conquer the fertile lands of Africa
Without any expense of money
Unlike the war on Iraq…

30/5/08