The Elusive Ism Poem by Varanasi Ramabrahmam

The twentieth century marvel and peneaca for human suffering,
That was widely perceived to rid human race of exploitation by fellow humans
And uplift the downtrodden and the have nots, got disgraced,
And thrown out from the land of its birth and lands of experimentation
And implementation, the Communism,
Is cooling its heels in the hearts of the die hard sympathizers;

China, still claiming communist in “spirit”, curbing freedom to its citizens,
Has cleverly implemented the other rival ism, the capitalism,
Reaped the associated benefits, is now suffering the disadvantages
Heaped on the world of nations by the greedy and consumerist folk,
Cutting jobs and making lives of millions listless and agonizing,
But capitalism is still not blamed for human losses in dignity and respect;

Socialism, the pet of modern international and Indian politicians for the last sixty and odd years
Is replaced in implementation by welcoming globalization,
The arm of capitalism by their own creed;

Rationalism, feminism, dalitism, etc., isms too
Are thriving in many hearts to correct wrongs
Respectively done to the concerned;
Still humanity is restless;

Why?

Is it not because it has not taken seriously
The eternal and time-tested ism, that brings peace and strength to human mind,
Whether one is successful or otherwise; rich or otherwise;
All the isms together can not emancipate humans
Unless they cultivate spiritualism, the essence of humanism,
The King of all isms;

Else the search for “proper” ism
Continues forever fruitlessly
Eluding humanity the required beneficent ism