Autumn's Reign Poem by Vachaspati Dwivedi

“India is shining! ”
“India is incredible! ”
“Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan! ”
Nice slogans indeed!
while we see
country ants
crawling under the weight
of fertilizers and diesel
ready to give up with suicide
or a breakdown
and we rejoice amid
Sprawling Malls and empty Cuisines.

The Knights of Kargill
sacrificed their lives
were ‘Indian’ to the core
and how we fooled them
by giving “Aadrsha” to all
Betrayers, Swindlers, Traitors of truth
Instead.


Do you remember?
how it all began
when the British left?
It was a dream of Spring.
someone called “tryst with destiny”
they made promises to abolish
Caste and Corruption
most abominable Cancers
but we end up counting
un-Indian adjectives
Rajputs, Yadavs, Jats, Gujjars
and many more…
used in formulations, Elections and Equations
shattering the truce of India
And they brand me a “Brahmin”
“Stick to your boots” they say
as you can’t change your Caste
and I look around for
traces of age old credentials
With peeping chicks and eggs in my kitchen.







Me, the inheritor of Spring
who taught you with zeal
truth, simplicity and character
ended up giving bribe at D’S office
for just demands
and I search for “Nirvana”
if it is to be found
anywhere. We suffer,
Succumb, and join them
In the perpetual doom
And the entity of motherland
A naked babe
In Autumn’s reign.