I Cannot Count Numbers

by Ananya S. Guha / April 10th, 2016

I cannot count numbers killed.
I have lost count of countries
their names, history, geography
I have forgotten their politics too
who is allied to who
which one is whose enemy.
I had heard of cold wars once
but now I know things are burning
in a furnace.
I have messed continents, forgetting their names
and which country is in which.
I know continents of hope
tumbling like bricks on greasy grounds.
I have forgotten communities
yes, I recall the European Community
aspiring for unity
but I’ve messed with the world
and, of course, my country
forgotten solidarity, camraderie.
My arithmetic loses vision
I cannot count numbers dead
nor of the living.

Ananya S Guha lives in Shillong in North East India, where he was born and brought up. He has been writing and publishing his poetry for the last forty years. His poetry has been published in both electronic and print formats such as: Indian Literature, Other Voices, Osprey Journal, Glasgow Review, The Literary Nest, Up The Staircase, Asia Writes, Art Arena, Praxis Online, Muse India, Your One Phone Call, In Between Hangovers, The Peeking Cat Magazine, Post Colonial Text among others. He has also written widely on educational and social matters. He has ten collections of poetry and his poetry has been anthologized in various collections of Indian poetry in English. He holds a doctoral on the novels of William Golding. Read other articles by Ananya S..

This article was posted on Sunday, April 10th, 2016 at 8:01am and is filed under Poetry.