Sleep Poem by Sayeed Abubakar

When the enemies surrounded their homes,
Their guns were sleeping tight
Pouring oil into their noses.

When their mothers, sisters, wives and daughters
Were being raped together on the same bed,
Their guns were sleeping tight
Like Kumbhakarna.*

And finally when they were attacked
And being slaughtered like bulls
Felling them on the ground,
Still their guns were into deep sleep.

Someone rushing said to them, 'Brethren,
Kindly make your guns awake.'

They, setting hands on his mouth, said,
'By God, never utter such a word;
Let the guns sleep peacefully
As they are sleeping now;
We want to see them sleeping this way for ever;
Even after the doomsday, we want to see
No one has come to break their innocent sleep.'


* a mythical monster mentioned in the Indian epic Ramayana who slept six months at a stretch.