When Leaders Cried!

The agony of not being able to…
The pain at the incapacity…
The sufferings at the mindless restriction…

(… not being able to) Do her bit
That gnawed at her heart…
That paralyzed her plans…

She had come all the way from
The National Capital Region

She was barred from moving any further
Caged in a government guest house
She prepared for the showdown…

Then they came, all the way
From the land of massacre
Widowed women along with
Orphaned kids.

Administration stopped them
Yards away from the gates
Of the guest house

She fought, she protested

At last the victims’ relations met her
And tears flowed
The leader in unison with the masses.

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.