In a civilised land
That accepts duty to all
Citizens have rights
Some great, some small
This is how things should be
To those who value
Truth and fairness
And justice and decency
But those who treasure money
And the power of wealth
Seek to remove such rights
Through deceit and stealth
They claim that duty
Comes before such rights
But they accept no obligation
For causing another’s plight
Obligation before rights
Is their loud refrain
But fulfilling their own duties
Is something they distain
For rights are for the powerful
Whilst duty is for the poor
And decency and justice
The Country provides no more
Human Rights matter
To ensure justice for all
For saints and for sinners
For all people great and small
The alternative is ugly
With justice a forgotten myth
With power replacing fairness
And a society that is truly sick
Dear Mr Chalk, the education division of HarperCollinsPublishers India is developing a series of course books. We would like to request permission to use your poem ‘Human Rights' in one of our books. Please get in touch at Payal.Dasharpercollins.co.in so we can take this further. Thank you.
Payal.Das at harpercollins.co.in. Alternately, please let us know how we can contact you, and we will write to you.
wait this is sooooooo great i’ve never read such a poem before
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Like it, justice and human rights, one day People may be treated fair. Good poem. May i invite you to read my poem called, Paradox Of Time.