Albert Einstein 40 - a Pacifist Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon

As the First World War broke out in 1914,
A devastating period of dread, turbulence,
Started to spread all over Europe like a wild fire.
Dr.Albert Einstein declared himself as a Pacifist.
A Pacifist is a person opposed to war and violence
And makes effort to bring about peace.
This was not a sudden decision of Dr. Einstein's life!
It was deep rooted in him from childhood.
Albert hated military orders, ruthless force,
Brutal dominance, killing or murder of any kind.
Dr. Einstein began to speak openly in public,
Warning people of the impending horrors of war.

Dr. Einstein thought himself as a citizen of the world,
And not merely confined to any particular country.
He attended all Anti-War meetings,
Voicing his opinion on its disastrous results.
He wrote essays on war and letters to prominent leaders.
He appealed to the European nations
For unity and understanding. Dr. Einstein wrote:
"My pacifism is an instinctive feeling, that possesses me
Because the murder of people is revolting.
My attitude is not derived from any intellectual theory
But is based on my deepest antipathy
To every kind of cruelty and hatred."

In a short essay titled: "My Opinion on the War"
Dr. Einstein, most decisively, confirmed his distaste of war.
It was written at the request of Goethe-Bund,
A German Cultural Organisation, for their commemoration volume.
Dr. Einstein declared that "War is rooted in the biologically
Determined aggressive tendencies of the male."
He continued his effort to uphold peace and reject war.
But the war continued till 1918 - A devastation so terrible!
As if nature was taking revenge for man's mistakes, follies:
Just when the war ended, an epidemic of influenza swept
The world killing millions of people, all over the world.
Fortunately, the Einstein family survived, both war as well as the Epidemic.

A Biographical Poem