The Sinking Planet – Sujata Unnikrishnan, Kerala

Am I imaging it or do I hear

Amidst all cacophony,

Laments that seem to emanate from nowhere.

Shh..Shh..listen ,listen, listen,

The plaintive cries of the distressed earth

Urging mankind to pay heed;

The fervent pleas of forcefully evicted souls

Entreating a peaceful coexistence;

Do you all hear it or am I hallucinating?

The lure of the lucre

Has it blinded the vision,

The power  of wealth

Has it dimm’d the hearing, I know not,

But no change is visible

In the developments around.

The tall harsh concrete structures

Litter the beautiful landscape.

They loom over the greenery that’s vainly trying

To escape the impending doom.

Ravage or get ravaged is their inhuman message.

Oh you obit writers,

Wield your pen and hone your skills

The earth is all set for an early death

Shed no tears, the onslaught she cannot withstand

She will be happier dead than alive.