I have been trying to rhyme words since my childhood. Most of what I wrote has gone down the line to the bin, but whatever that I thought made sense got added into my poetry archive. I compose more of Hindi poems, though I have a few composed in English under my cap. But have not really penned down any for more than 2-3 years now… This is what three years of engineering studies can do to you. Technical mindset and Literature attitude don’t really go hand in hand.

Today while cleaning my book shelf I accidentally dropped my Poetry book off shelf. It opened up to a page titled ‘A Shredded Soul’ dated 11/10/1994. One of my first few poems, I guess from my 5th grade.

Thought I should share this piece of work with you guys here. It’s about the scientist (in first person) who devised the nuclear weapons.

This is how it goes…

It was I who showed man, how things explode,
contemplating that he would persue the success road.
Instead it took lives!
Nothing breathed but empty bee-hives.

My soul rips in shame,
because it is I whom they blame.
- The eyes of the father,
the tears of the mother,
the affection of the wife gone in vain,
and children left in pain.

Unwillingly these curses I sip,
to my feelings they always nip.
Me and my contribution shall remain immortal I thought,
but wretched lives plummeting I forgot.
What aroma does man breathe of blood flown? Once in action,
the weird war is just momentary satisfaction.

Charred are my wishes and aspirations,
Forayed is the innocence in my intensions.
I have been left in lurch between cries hounding,
slept are the beats of my heart pounding,
Whom shall I tell, where shall I cry,
The culprit? It wasn’t I, it wasn’t I…

- Composed By: Aseem N