Poetry

CC photo

By

Ashish Kumar Pathak

Rising economy somewhere, receding happiness almost everywhere

World passing through

a difficult phase

It has now a rising level of intolerance

Infringement of human rights

and manifestations of rage,

Nations continue to purge

the toxins of hatred,

envy, jealousy and aggression

everyday everywhere

due to widespread cynicism,

escapism and disillusionment

with governance

and functioning of their institutions,

Mankind today is more unhappy,

more turbulent, more violent,

more fundamentalist, more alienated

than ever before.

But people are manifestly

happier in countries

where personal freedom

is guaranteed

and democracy is secured,

Regardless of their economic condition,

citizens are happy

in climate of peace,

more so peace and harmony

prevails in a nation

celebrating pluralism,

practising tolerance and

promotes goodwill among

diverse communities.

It is so disturbing and dubious

that techno-economic system adopted

to produce a democratic

egalitarian world order

has resulted in an exploitative,

extremely unequal

and fragmented world

so near rich economically

so poor in happiness.

Ashish Kumar Pathak

Ashish Kumar Pathak is a middle school teacher posted in the Munger district of Bihar province (India). He has a letter of appreciation from the President of India for his poem. Recently his works of poetry have been featured in many national and international anthologies.