A plea

There was a time…
There was camaraderie
There was laughter
There was bonding
Between man and man

There was a time
When they sat
Around their meals
Thanked their ‘god’
And broke their
Bread together…

There was a time
When they cried
And laughed,
Lend their shoulders
And held each others’ hand…

There was a time…
Their house is now
‘for sale’. Their broken
Unused car stands
In front of the
Locked gate of
Their crumbling hearts…

They are all gone.

The shells burst…
The noise shattered
The peace of distant
Villages too. But…

There was a time
When bullets did
Not pierce wind and hearts
In such frequent intervals.

There was a time
When shells did not
Murder peace and
Put an end
To life, love, living

Can we not get that time,
Our time back?

Pranab Ghosh is an award-winning Indian journalist and writer, who has worked for major news outlets of the country, including HT Media Ltd., Eenadu Digital, TNIE, Business India group etc.. His books of poems have been published by English and Canadian publishers. Read other articles by Pranab.