O Nation, You are Great and Mighty!

-Rajesh Kumar Jha

O Nation you are great and mighty,
And I am small.
My eyes widen, jaws drop and hands tremble,
When I see your might, I find myself feeble.

On the snow clad mountain,
Inside the jungle and across the ravines,
on enemies from beyond and enemies from within,
encounter or gun battle, straight or crooked,
tit for tat, jaw for tooth, terror for terror,
High calibre guns spew volleys of fire-
like flames of hell.
Your planes soar in the sky like eagles possessed,
your might is growing like shadows in the evening.

But I feel feeble, I feel weak.
Fear gnaws at my heart.
I want to recite a poem, enact a play,
but fear that you may not like it.
I want to see a film, go to a park,
but fear that you may not like it.
I want to eat my Biryani, sing my song,
but fear that you may not like it.
I want to whisper a complaint in your ears,
sometimes shout at you,
but fear that you may not like it.

O Nation, you are great and mighty.
You are my love, you are my life,
Allow me a little complaint,
Allow me a little moan of disgust,a burst of anger,
Like a lover does to her beloved, a son to his mother.

Why do you fear me,
O Nation, you are great and mighty.