You Know, Jesus...

you know, Jesus, today is your birthday
You were lucky to be born as the son of God
and kings from far of lands, paying tribute , with myriad of gifts…

but here, dear friend; if i can call you like that
new born kids, sometimes are food to dogs
or seen thrown into the garbage bins
or even just born to be sprayed by bullets or rockets
as in Palestine, the holy land
and the big brother says, they deserve it….

maybe, you were unlucky, as your parents had to flee
with you, from the evil designs of lesser mortals.
but here, we can’t even flee from hunger
and the imminent starvation and death
or sometimes, my mother had to sell her to feed me….
or sometimes, even sell me, so they have the luxury
of a meal in a day, for another one month, without trouble......

in that case, you were lucky, you learned carpentry
from your father, and helped him, and ‘grew in wisdom’
but we had the stigma of class & caste, and have to prove
that we are meritorious, even to have our say in life
and many of my friends said they existed, through death
as they had no other option to be heard…….

oh Jesus, you were really lucky
because you came to save the world
but what the fuck i am going to do with my life
whom am i going to save?
or who is that fucking savior to take me,
and the like of me, from abyss…..

and i don’t know, Jesus, my friend
on your birthday, this year,
another innocent was sentenced to life imprisonment
for sedition, you know, that was the complaint raised against you
in front of Herodias, the King.

at least Herodias had the courtesy to ask you
‘what is truth?’

but for our judge, he had no doubt at all!
and he emphatically said –
maoists and terrorists are big threats today
and they don’t deserve mercy….

but do you remember, my friend,
you forgave the one crucified on your right….
do you remember….

DEDICATED TO BINAYAK SEN.