Freedom
Manoj Pukhrambam *
Let this poem be heard,
For it is about the North-East.
This is the Land where
No beggars of our kind exist.
About 220 languages in eight States,
Is what we all speak here.
And now the time has come
To make our voices loud and clear.
Over 160 tribes and 400 communities,
Is what we all boast of.
Varied Flora and Fauna are the resources
That we are all proud of.
Excellence in Sports and Literacy,
Is what the whole world can't deny.
Brought various medals for the country
This, we don't need to justify.
Economy higher than rest of India,
Is what our North-East once had.
Post merger with the country
Our trade and commerce went bad
Our Histories were never taught;
Our existence were never unfold.
A beautiful place called North-East exist,
This, their children were never told
Junglees and Chinkis are the names
Which you Blacks give to us.
'Unity in Diversity' as you say
Was never meant to include us.
"Jana Gana Mana" is the anthem
Which you forcefully make us sing.
Nowhere has it mentioned about us;
Nowhere mentioned about our being.
Divide and Rule and Suppression,
Is what we have been indulged with.
Let us hold our hands together, dear NERs,
And clear the obstacles beneath
During all those 60 decades,
"You are one of us" was never said.
For them, we were an unloved guest.
Thus, a carpet was never laid
More than 60 years up the line,
All worse happened in the past.
Freedom is the only answer
If our generations need to last.
Come back home my people
To share our single bread and butter.
For, now the time has come
To close down the chicken-neck Shutter
To Freedom, To Freedom, To Freedom
( )
* Poem written by PManoj Pukhrambam for e-pao.net
The Poet is a resident of Shillong and can be contacted at pukhs_bob(at)yahoo(d0t)co(dot)in
This poem was webcasted on November 03 2013.
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