In God’s Name Poem by P K Joy

My father was sacrificed to propitiate
the local ‘powerful’ deity
Whose appeasement, he was told,
would surely merit eternity.
The god-man of the village had
lead us into the belief
That it will reserve heaven for us
and all-pervading relief.
After a massive ceremony,
a priest slaughtered my father.
He volunteered for his own bliss
and for descendants’ welfare.
His total blood was used for
making the red cement-mortar
That, in turn, was used
for fixing a new stone altar.

Seven descending generations are
assured of heaven, they told us.
So, the family looked forward to
meeting in heaven in bliss.
The unread simple folk around,
saw us with significant awe.
They believed that divine reverence
to our family they do owe.

After the slaughter of my father,
I was the first man to die.
Then for ‘after life’ order, I was
placed before God’s dais.
God looked at me and said
“you have no merits to get heaven.
To help you write even in hell,
I’ve allotted you paper and pen.”

It was a horrible shock to me.
Thunder-struck I stood agape.
God assuaged and asked me to say,
which deed gave me the hope.
With ghastly stun followed by cries,
I told God the total story.
He heard and said “these devilish acts
I don’t sanction. I’m sorry.

“In my name, men do lots of nonsense.
Gullible people fall prey.
Ignorance is the basic cause.
For god-men’s trickery they pay.
God-men are a scourge on the men.
Their adjutants are wicked priests.
I don’t sanction any sacrifice.
Slaughtering the men I’ve made, never pleases me.”


On my way to hell, in a buffalo-cart,
I shouted aloud to my kin to tell:
“No reservation in heaven for us.
Come prepared to live in hell.
The god-man and priests have cheated us.
You bring those rascals to laws,
And warn the people to keep away
the barbarous outlaws, the social foes.