They Say Love, Love Poem by Raj Arumugam

They say love, love
And how magnificent they sound
when they say that

But you must not be taken in
by that word
(by their manner
by their declaration
in spite of their proclamations)
for what they mean
is a love that is restricted
confined and narrow
to those in the group
with the same beliefs
adorning their chests
with the same badges


There is no universal love;
there is only universal prejudice

Though they say love, love
it is not love
It is a narrowness -
it is a way of asking:
Are you of our kind?

They cannot see
anything beyond their own noses
and that they call love

There is no universal love;
there is only universal prejudice