THE FENCE

At whose behest
this fence built
separating us?
At whose behest
gun-wielding men
in camouflage lined
along both sides of
the fence?
Till the other day
there was no fence
there were no men in
camouflage
and we were kept in the
dark by some ‘dark’
elements
about the creation of
a fence separating us
till the other day.
Our ancestors the same
the blood running through our veins the same
we studied together
we played together
we mingled freely
we were all one and
the same
parents, siblings, relatives
and neighbours all.
At whose behest
this fence got erected
overnight,
isolating parents
siblings, relatives
and neighbours?
At whose behest
these unfamiliar
men in camouflage
aiming guns
positioned along
either side
of the fence?
Sometimes for fun’s sake
they trigger their guns
in the process
inflicting casualities
we are helpless
we are hapless
we can very well
hear the cries of
our blood on the other
side
our cries they too
must be hearing
albeit
no way to cross over
to either sides.
The ones who ordered
the creation of this fence
must be having celebrations
in their durbars
and we are
saddened by
frightened by
shocked by
intermittent firings
across the border by the
men in camouflage
and a feeling of
suffocation, overpowering us.