Why I Keep My Breath? Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

I don’t keep my breath
to lose it in a petty fight,
incited by some selfish men,
with casteist or religious motives,
for gaining some votes or notes.

I don’t keep my breath
to surrender my honesty
before an officer corrupt
to loot the public wealth
or in cheating the innocent and the poor.

I want to breathe my last
along with our fiery soldiers,
facing alien guns
which spill the blood on the border
and make every hearth of Bharath
seething with limitless rage.
But for such matchless deeds,
cowards like me aren’t chosen.

I keep my breath hence
to train the young,
crush under their feet,
the elements posing danger
to our vast nation
and scrap the leaders
who amass wealth in stealth
and let the weak fall
into the jaws of gnawing poverty.
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