My heart bleeds but I don’t know why,
I want to shed tears but eyes remain dry,
I thought I heard something and look around,
but alas dead bodies never make sound,
I don’t know the reason why we went to war,
but also I can’t find anyone around to ask in Thar,
The dead body in front of me looks familiar and I bend to recognize,
But he has the I-card of the enemy nation and in my heart I despise,
I want to kick his body off my motherland,
But couldn’t find the exact border from where I stand,
I just sit there and start to wonder my reason for being there,
when there is no friend or foe left to play or kill anywhere,
My family’s memories take a rewind just in front of my face,
And I prepare myself for death to embrace,
Suddenly I realize my experience everyone should know,
Hence I prepared myself for the long journey to go,
I now realize the true victory is over one’s emotions,
and not in the battlefield with the Almighty’s creations,
Now if I see with the wide open eyes towards war,
I see it inside me and I don’t have to look far…..

-RAVI SHANKER SRIVASTAVA