Man Eats Man Poem by Arun Maji

Man eats man.
Unlike beast
Man eats man
For fun
Fame
And fortune.

Yet we despise the word "beast".
Yet no human despises the word "human"!
Though examples are abundant enough
To slap face of human wisdom.

What is deafening my ear?
The roar of my greed.
What is blinding my eyes?
The elusive light of my religion.
What is numbing my voice?
The sweet name of my country.

Did I hear the cry of child
Who just died
In womb of a fireball?
I did.
But I did not quite understand
How painful was the death of that child.
I bet, I did not.

And this is why
I eat flesh of human.
And this is why I hide my bloody face
By blaming it to the beast.

© Arun Maji
Painting: Lee Bogle