arriving in kashmir
on a drizzly afternoon
serene dal lake
sits besides the mountains
their peaks blurred by grey mist
its dark waters
littered with fanciful houseboats
and choked with lotus plants
while shikaras quietly flow by
a quiet beauty
uglified
by soldiers
by guardposts
by army trucks
by checkpoints
everywhere
a country torn apart
by the militants’ bombs
by the army’s bullets
killing innocents
thousands have died
and many are still dying
the poor live in tatters
with scarce work, food, money
the children still smile
the children still laugh
the shadow of death remains
they just want their
country back
they just want to play
with no fear
on a drizzly afternoon
serene dal lake
sits besides the mountains
their peaks blurred by grey mist
its dark waters
littered with fanciful houseboats
and choked with lotus plants
while shikaras quietly flow by
a quiet beauty
uglified
by soldiers
by guardposts
by army trucks
by checkpoints
everywhere
a country torn apart
by the militants’ bombs
by the army’s bullets
killing innocents
thousands have died
and many are still dying
the poor live in tatters
with scarce work, food, money
the children still smile
the children still laugh
the shadow of death remains
they just want their
country back
they just want to play
with no fear
