When I look to what is coming ahead,
I don’t like what I see
Don’t you dare tell me
That it can only get better, instead.
“I’m sure I can convince you”
You’ll tell me with determination.
Saying there will be no discrimination,
You will continue.
Diversity will be celebrated,
You try to convince me,
Beauty will be seen in all shapes, sizes and colors.
Eventually, we will learn to celebrate our differences.
You just don’t see
Our world is filled with hatred and apathy,
It is never an option to, say,
Imagine everyone is empathetic and kind.
Violence and bigotry prevail.
Wars and violence will continue to plague our future and
It doesn’t seem like
The effects can be reduced or even stopped.
Climate change is present and rapid
Planting trees is a habit of the past.
I refuse to believe that
Pollutants do not saturate the skies.
I envisage a time when
Innovation and sustainable development is at its peak
Although it is possible that
Technology, internet and social media will have consumed us completely.
Maybe it is naive to think that
The gender wage gap will disappear.
And I am sure that
The patriarchy will never die.
Once upon a time, we thought
All religions could co-exist in harmony.
Who would have guessed
Prejudice and supremacism would reign supreme
Gone are the days when
People were inherently humane
I think it is time we realize that
We are doomed.
I wouldn’t tell you that
There is hope in this world
Is it possible that
We will have a bright and colourful future?
Now read it from bottom to top.
Hi Vaishnavi,
Thanks for sharing your poem. Tell me more about your vision of envisaging "a time when Innovation and sustainable development is at its peak?" I would like to hear more about it.
Good luck with your story submission.
A very insightful and well written essay. Good point about the internet devouring us completely.
Vaishnavi, I love what you wrote here - at first, your poem seemed so bleak, and then reading it the other way, I found such a beautiful and hopeful vision for what is possible!
I especially love this part of the 2nd reading:
"Imagine everyone is empathetic and kind.
It is never an option to, say,
Our world is filled with hatred and apathy,
You just don’t see
Eventually, we will learn to celebrate our differences."
Lovely poem.Truly we need the impetus of positivity to move on.
Hi Vaishnavi,
Thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks for sharing your story with us. Hope you are doing great?
Dear Vaishnavi,
Only hope can save the world. Because we live in the current generation we know the evils of our times; people before us knew the evils of their times, different from ours but evil nevertheless. They did not give up, they fought back, held on hope to pass on the baton to us. Let us run our lap. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on World Pulse for all of us to mull over the current situation.
Love always,
Urmila Chanam
Dear Vaishnavi,
What a powerful piece you have shared. Definitely, equality is the bottom line of our fight. What a wonderful/colorful world will be without any prejudice towards any of the living beings.
Love and hugs,
anjana