Our Republic Day

 

By P.N.BINDU

Down the nights-down the days
Adorned by Freedom’s ways
What soulful homage we pay
To our Republic Day?–
Oh, world is full of fire,
Life is full o’ desire;
But, none knew the secret yet
Where fire and desire met:
So, howe’er man had fared,
As by our Fathers declared
Strange gods still we worship
For human-fellowship;
And tread the paths once trod
To take man nearer God:
And, life to breathe martyrdom
For peace, progress and freedom
That ended the King and Kingdom
In the wake of man’s wisdom.

Today we have unfurled
The highest Flag of the World
To seek life’s sanctity
In its colourful Trinity,
To know the worth of the Clay
And of the Eternal Day!–
To rouse the awakened heart
To play its blissful part–
To end the growing terror
And the enveloping error:
For we see as in a dream
World’s last funeral gleam
Glowing bright–growing dim
Fed by the red-flames grim
Searching for a newer way
To run the race of a Day–
Down the nights–down the days
In Life’s melancholy ways.

With greetings of the year
New–we wipe out a tear
And greet the rich red-rose

That hails for healing the woes

And open the heart’s gateways
Meaning no mystic craze
In the truth of the Infinite
To be doubtless and definite!
Down the days–down the nights
We fight for human rights.