Common Man

Centuries passed on this soil,

Eternity passed on this land, 

Birthed my dreams on this soil,

Reaped them in all those political turmoils.

The root of hatred rose there,

It withered but sprouted again,

Watered by hate groups,

The root became a tree, and then large troopes.

I lived all my life with full gusto and dare, 

Held my head high and flare,

But I didn’t dare think,

That within blink, these hate groups, will divide my land, 

Turn it into nothing but a bland.

All the memories I had here,

The thousand love letters I wrote,

The endless poets I quote,

I became what I am, and in these lanes, I wrote.

Of this soil I did my farming, 

Of this land, I walked a thousand miles,

Of this place, beauty birthed, 

On this day, I am feeling alienated.

After all these years fighting for this land, 

Dying, crying lived my ancestors, in turmoil they stand,

Of all the sacrifices made for this soil,

Now, I stand in yet another turmoil. 

I‘m made to throw my identity,

Burn this ferocity,

Leave this city, on the basis of my religion,

And go, live in detention. 

What wrong have I done for this country, 

What wrong have I done that they don’t hear my plea, 

Sacrificed my flesh and bones, 

Now, I’m told to leave this country.

Where would you want me to go,

My heart finds its beatings here, 

My memories engraved on the stones,

My soul lives happy here, 

Here is where I fell in love, and got my heart broken.

Where would you throw me to,

My place is here, 

I have fought all my life on this land, 

Here I stand, refusing to leave,

No matter how much you tell me to leave, 

I won’t. 

What right you have, to question me about my nationalism?

Who gave you the right to do that?

Go take care of the farmers dying,

And people living in poverty,

Students comitting suicide,

We have those problems to take care. 

I have all the rights to tell you to do your work,

To give people their rights,

I voted for you, not because you to root me out of my land, 

But because I trusted you, you’ll make my land, beautiful.

But you betrayed my belief in you, 

Who am I to you but a number, 

Who seems minority, 

You cancel me off, to win another time. 

While I stand here on the footloose, in front of your big houses, 

Shouting out of my lungs, you burned our houses, 

Stole our jobs, now you dare to steal this land, 

I stand firm, dare me to move,

I dare you, I have all the right to ask you,

What work in these six years did you do.

Other than dividing people on the basis of caste,

Than slitting people on the basis of religion,

Than lynching people over a cow, 

You make the whole nation, spit at you, in angry awe. 

Other than snatching our money off us, 

Giving money to your rich friends, 

Making our young generations miserable, 

What work in these six years did you do. 

I have the right to pull you out, 

Thrown you into the crowd, 

Let them ask you questions, 

Questions, out of the blue, 

For which you aren’t even prepared to answer. 

Then pull out your bootlickers,

Who in all these years licked your feet for money, 

While they were appointed to represent our voices, 

They flushed them in toilet, and wiped this ass, with our money. 

I have the right to abuse you,

For your abuse of power, 

For making us feel inferior,

Dividing us on the basis of religion.

This land is a gifted one, 

Here birthed the great mahatma,

The lesson he taught you might have forgotten,

Let me remind you, now, that this democracy and this constitution is its ashwathama. 

What makes you touch me and my nationalism,

While I can pull yours off, 

What makes you wail in utter nonsense,

While I can, make you, make some sense.

I am this land,

Here I stand,

Waving a placard,

To say, I am not a coward. 

I am here all my life, 

I have the right to stay,

You can’t push me astray,

But, with the power of people, I can, bring your government down. 

I am the common man, 

On this communal land, 

Here I stand, singing the song, 

Shout loud into you ear, 

So that your ears pop out your heart, 

“Jai Hind” 

You can’t pull me of this land, 

You have no right to question my nationality,

I voted you trusting you, 

Now, you’re making me feel alienated.