Remember? Poem by Santosh Bakaya

Ah, it was gesticulating in a grotesque fashion
Upwards it heaved in immense passion
Its wavy arms going upwards
All the people fringing the banks
Scattered
Like a bunch of starlings in fright
The sea raged on and on
Enraged
Guffawing at the chill going up my spine.

“Come, come”, it beckoned
“I am the blood of innocent humanity, why be afraid
Of your own blood?
Come on, it is just collateral damage
The spark in that three year old naughty savage
All damaged
And ravaged by people gone haywire
I am the blood of someone’s sister
The blood of that tiny refugee with a blister.

Remember?
And the blood of that puny fellow
Who chortled in his mother’s arms?
A face full of charms
Just the other day
Wearing a tiny shirt yellow
Which proclaimed “I am superman”

“Remember? ”
The blood of those innocent toddlers is here
Remember that chubby- cheeked kid
Holding a teddy bear.
Look, look I have them all here
All groups of blood
“Yes I am rich, a millionaire.
Bloody rich”
It guffawed.
I ran, helter – skelter, a chill going up my spine.
Was it a surreal dream?
Through half –open eyes I could see
Nothing but a sea of blood
And more blood

I closed my eyes, I saw more blood.
The surreality was real.
Blood- curdlingly real.