GANDHI

GANDHI


His frail countenance carried
The aura of a saint.
He was a seeker of truth,
Unblemished, without taint.

Einstein said about him once
That there will be a dearth
Of those who believe that he
Had ever walked on earth.

He was a barrister who
Espoused the cause of those,
Oppressed and downtrodden that
Against the British, rose.

Churchill said about him in
Order to show his ire:
‘He has the virtues I hate
And vices I admire’.

Gandhi brought to India
Freedom from British Crown;
From slavery to the white,
Brought freedom to the brown.

In the fight for freedom much
Innocent blood was spilled.
Thousands of unarmed persons
Were by the British killed.

Maybe it’s to offer him
A belated penance;
His birthday is now called the
Day of nonviolence.



* Written in abcb, 7-6-7-6 syllabic format

* The United Nations proposes to label Second October [Birthday of M K Gandhi, better known as Mahatma (saint) Gandhi] as The Day of International Nonviolence.

* Related poem: AN ODE TO GANDHI, "AN ODE TO GANDHI" 


M C Gupta
6 June 2007