Greatness

 

 

“as a child he never plucked the wings off flies
he didn’t tie tin cans to cats’ tails
or lock beetles in matchboxes
or stomp anthills
he grew up
and all those things were done to him
I was at his bedside when he died
he said read me a poem
about the sun and the sea
about nuclear reactors and satellites
about the greatness of humanity” — Nazim Hikmet

 

 

 

His words like blade

Cut the souls in halves-

The tyrant-

Her vengeful eyes

Promise eternal darkness-

The despot-

So perfect they are

In letting loose hell-

I leave them alone to rot-

Somewhere children are snatched away-

Somewhere medical students are fasting till death-

Gandhi walked this path,

So did Mandela-

And some others are doing it

Beyond our knowledge-

Humanity is greatness itself-

Posted for Susan’s Midweek Motif ~ Greatness (in honor of Nelson Mandela International Day) @ Poets United

 

 

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