YOUR NOODLES YOUR SOLDIERS !!…..AN ODE TO THE MEN OF 6 DOGRA
(Let every citizen of this country read this . This a poem written by a serving soldier…..Read to the end and think )
I looked up and saw the bright light,
A hand taking me to Heaven in a serene flight !
For a moment God stopped and asked me straight,
“You want to go back, its still not too late?”
Me, the soldier, couldn’t ask for more.
To go back and avenge my death and settle the score!
But still I said “Lets forget it bro,
take me to heaven; I’ve had enough of this show.
Cant you see I’m lying their burnt and charred,
For the nation, which made me stand guard.
But today twenty of us went down and nobody blinked an eye,
Okay, don’t care about us, you Thankless Morons, at least say a respectful Goodbye !
Everyone is writing, talking, shouting about noodle ban,
Go ahead God, just do a quick scan !
From media so responsible to politicians so caring,
From ‘Young and restless’ to the writers so daring,
From Page 3 celebrities to Aunty next door,
From bloggers to designers to Bollywood stars,
From autorickshaw wallahs to those boys with big cars.
Across the nation, no one missed us,
No one mourned, no one paid homage, no one created a fuss !!
Why would I want to go back and die for them once more,
They are as oblivious to my death as they were before.
Across the world, soldiers are loved and respected,
the whole nation adores them and feels indebted.
This is not that country, so why live in fool’s paradise,
We die everyday, and hardly make headlines.
No Sir, I don’t wanna go back,
I’ve lived my life on an impossible track.
Let these people build Maggie’s memorial,
My family will give me a respectful and silent burial.
The country, that cannot respect its soldiers is headed for doom,
We are a single roof of comfort under which the nation blooms.
From kids in wells to earthquakes anywhere,
From floods to riots to terrorists who dare,
The roads being cleared to pilgrimages being organized,
We were always there, whenever this country cried.
Our families are far and loved ones away,
No matter the crisis at home, on duty we stay!
We don’t hold our children the day they are born,
Everywhere we are sent, we face the scorn!
Governments can’t keep locals happy and send us to fight,
Fighting own countrymen, neither easy nor right!
Yet, we are the face that scowls, fights and takes the slap,
And for decades we are doing it, yet no appreciation nor a single clap.
Our welfare, pensions, benefits keep lingering in files,
All we get are promises and smiles.
Our Retired Generals talking strategy and welfare sitting on TV shows,
Its like when they were serving, they kept these thoughts in an escrow !
We have Vote bank politicians and CYA generals,
Who come and look pretty only on parades and funerals.
Where are the Tigers who we wish to be commanded by,
to expect Revenge is a far cry !!
The numbers in which we die are appalling,
Troops are alright, its the bosses that need overhauling !
Do we make policies, No and never !
So why are we dying everyday and forever?
The biggest mystery of my life was who are we fighting and for what?
Why are we the only ones suffering and distraught?
Politicians, Generals, Bureaucrats..everyone sleeps peacefully,
and we are the only ones on ground, truly !
No one takes our pictures and tells our story,
Me the simple soldier just fights for guts and glory !
Lets not even get started on salary I am paid,
Risking my life everyday for such basic grade !!
I’m not the whining kid who keeps complaining,
But some top guys really need to do some explaining.
Why have you put us in such a state,
how did we reach such miserable fate?
We fight for the country that doesn’t miss us when we die,
Its a secure and well protected nation living in its own high?
I want to ask lot of people why such a sad state,
What ruined our status and why so little in our plate?
Politicians, Bureaucrats, Media, and Army top Brass,
Together you guys are responsible for putting me under grass!
Easier to accuse each other and not take the blame,
Takes balls to stand up and play the game !
Hundreds of my brethren die when Naxals attack,
Tell me one entity which recognizes this security crack.
They keep shoving files on each others’ tables,
Because India will never fall short of horses in stables.
We are over populated and poor to the core,
We will always have millions to fill the human resource store.
Does that mean that you will keep creating cannon fodder,
Short shortsightedness of hire, fire and forget..nothing broader?
Invincible as we are on Power points and discussions,
Almost twenty states are in trouble internally or suffer incursions.
Just look at Assets and ignore the liabilities?
Surprised at your Calculation disabilities !
Why will not enemy come inside and kill me,
Why will he not take “Revolutionary’ plea?
You have messed up the country with your weak stands,
Your vote politics has shredded this nation in strands !
We are like a hunting ground for neighbors who do what they want,
Behead our soldiers, enter inside, send terrorists or just merely taunt !!
All we do is condemn the issue and make serious faces on TV,
You really think that will stop their killing spree !!
Your soldiers are dying everyday and you don’t raise a finger,
You let it pass and let the bad mood linger,
Wait for forums to ‘Talk’ about it,
That’s the only action you seem fit !!
Collectively, you have killed my image and respect,
For centuries, soldiering has been a sacred sect !
But now, Our own defect us for greener pastures and petty gains,
Politicians ignore us till the time we are in voting plains.
Media doesn’t talk about us as our deaths are daily affair,
We keep falling everyday here and there.
How can something so mundane generate TRP and interest,
Lets talk about Maggie, that’s where they invest !
Honestly I don’t know what went wrong where,
All I know is my body is burning on road and I am hanging here,
Unable to decide to go to heaven and embrace a soldier’s death,
Or go back and again fight till my last breath.
I don’t know how I lost the battle to some fast food,
I’m the son, brother, father of country and it always felt proud and good.
So many of you have let me down,
I have the satisfaction of my fight and sacrifice, yet a frown !
The frown of dying for people who just don’t care,
I’m not angry, just that I wish I had a life to spare.
I’ll meet my enemies and tell them the facts,
You and I, both live in neglect.
Why are you wasting your bullets on me,
I’m anyways living a life of misery!
No one will pay attention or mourn when I’m gone,
You won’t get the attention by killing a meaningless pawn.
Don’t waste your lead on me, add it in Maggie instead,
That’s how you’ll be heard and supported across this country’s spread !”
God didn’t reply,
And actually I must be the only one to see him cry !
RIP Brave-hearts!
