Smog In Delhi - Live And Let's Live Poem by Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

O' Lord, I pray to Thee for clean air
O' Lord, I pray to Thee to increase
the velocity of the wind
so that it carries the smog far, far away
from my nostrils and far, far away
from the bags of air called my lungs
which I have to refill with clean air
to keep myself alive and healthy.

In this capital city where stands
the Supreme Court of Justice,
I beg for my right to life and to breathe the air
that is clean so that as I inhale and exhale
my lungs are free from smoke and carbon.

In this time of distress and suffocation
I take the liberty to ask the farmers
to adhere to keeping up the purity of air
so that our children can save their tender lungs
from future respiratory problems
which can be caused by the smoke from farm fires.

Our children are compelled to breathe involuntarily
the smoke that fills and pollutes the air
though every child that walks to school
though every student who sits in a classroom
is taught of safety rules
and how to keep their environment clean.

Yet this air pollution in our city is something
that none can escape or control
as the smoke and dust keeps billowing
from the burning stubble and garbage,
from the emissions from vehicles and industries,
and from the dusty constructions sites so many.

Our ancestors have lived here thro' the centuries
with pride and passion believing that
in this capital city of leadership
where sit ministers and authorities,
cleanliness and hygiene, safety and protection
is guaranteed by our noble Constitution.

But now as the smog keeps endangering
the health of our families,
O' Lord, I pray, let them breathe
let them inhale and exhale with ease
as by this action called breathing
they will live a full lifetime, healthily.

O' Lord, when I was born
even before I could drink my mother's milk,
my little heart told me if I wanted to live
I would have to breathe and keep breathing.

And now as we sleep and wake up,
as we walk on our streets,
we keep asking ourselves-
will this smog keep choking us
and making us sick
when the chests of our forefathers
were always filled with the pure air of Delhi
that it made them live with vitality and zeal.

Even the emperors and kings, princesses and queens
would sit on the roof-tops under the moonlight,
while the rich and poor would sleep on the open terraces
just to breathe and enjoy the fresh clean air of Delhi.

But today as we struggle to breathe,
as we suffocate and wipe our eyelids,
O' Lord we pray to Thee
to increase the velocity of the wind
so that it carries away the air pollution
and relieves our suffocation
and the suffocation we confront in our city so constantly.