An Anthology Of Verses - Prabhath Avadhanula

A Call To Action (Shall We Rest)

The conquerors have left our lands
Leaving us divided sands
Shall we rest?
They say we are of the night
While they are of the holy light
Shall we rest?
A man beneath but bound and chained
Like a beast in flame to rage
Shall we rest?
When they have taught a babe to say
“That is nigger. Him we’ll slay.”
Shall we rest?
While another child’s lost past that door?
While the Jailhouse screams for more?
While bullets rain and children soak
And mothers breathe the air and choke?
While they tell us who we are?
While they call us near and keep us far?
While those who strive for education
Are scorned and mocked to hesitation?
Shall we rest?

A baby’s bleeding on that stone
And there the Graveyard weeps alone.

Let the dead beneath me rest
I will walk on their behest!