Just a Human Being

The many layers which cover us
which hide us, hide our reality...
also hide from us, the truth about others...

we are well read but flawed..
put to sleep by the great civilizations we take much pride in..
bulldozing our beautiful landscape...
the bare land.. our humanity

live we do not.. as men among men...
but as rich, as poor...
as the educated, and the ill read...
with little sympathy.. or acknowledgement of our common humanity...

the poor man.. he is...
dirty and ugly...
with his skin burnt by the glaring sun..
as he toils night and day...
and makes our life more comfortable...
but we respect him little.. care little for his family

the womb which brought him to the world..
not very different from the one which bore you..

his emotions, hopes and feelings...
not very different from yours...

the land he stands on.. is same space you share..
and yet you see..
nothing common between you and he..

limiting our hearts to our closed quarters..
to people we like... to those who look and speak like us...
as we work hard and grow...
our wealth but not our spirit...

There is no salvation...
no inner upliftment...
until the day we see ourselves in people like him...
until the day we see the simple truth.. our own bare humanity..

we think we are harmless...
everybody is sure they are harmless..

but our morphed views..
created this world...
created you and me...

how else can you explain...
soldiers laughing as they shoot down innocents...
how else can you explain..
the anger against people just on
religion, race and nationality..
how else can you explain..
the sacredness of one human and the untouchability of another...

those who amass wealth for their kids...
looting food from the starving..
how else can you explain?

But there is hope... there is always hope...
you are not a drop in a ocean...
rather you are an unlit lamp in the darkness
surrounded by millions of other unlit lamps...

I have something to ask off you before you leave..
if you can...
have the heart to care for that man down the street..