À l’heure du tout à l’image et du buzz sans suite, «l’express» souhaite faire découvrir la plume de poètes, de chanteurs, d’écrivains et de tous ceux qui jettent leur âme sur le papier, et qui mettent en mots des réflexions profondes.

When with a lighted lamp in her hand

Goddess Lakshmi stepped on our land

to show the way

to light the roughest day

selfless service to offer

ignorance to shed hereafter

to teach man to be brave

poor miserable souls to save

to chase away gripping grief of darkness

to expose the speck of dust, the tiniest

then and only then

she brought this message to humanity

in all sovereignty

in all dictates of morality

If enlightened you have not, any heart,

by the light from your own part

If your mind’s castle is too dark

for a sparkle of light to park

If due to this darkness, this ignorance

other souls in all innocence

suffered have, still are suffering

as you parade your connivings

If division’s been your domain

unity never you could maintain

no kith and kin you could make sit together

and full a meal you could not offer

If elated you could be not at other’s elation

envy, greed both you made your relations

If falsehood you cherished

and used for purposes devilish

If to educate yourself is an ordeal

If the need for instruction you never feel

educated people you always shun

they give not your kind of fun

If you adore God, injure man

for nears, dears, your door is not open

then says Goddess Lakshmi

for you should be no Divali

no right for a lamp to light

for you could not respect its life

The Divali lamp

culminates comradeship

sheds hatred and jealousy

loves all equally

like reality, like Divinity

Find the light that is in your heart

and reach the promised land

Bio

Anita Aujayeb

A long-standing educator, now teaching at tertiary level, she has authored several books in all genres of literature, novels, stories, travelogues, poems and history.This poem is based on facts taken from a story book on Indian philosophy.