I walk down the corridors of history

And see the wounds caused to me

By you, you, you and you all.

I walk down the shores of time

To find where and whence you,

You, you and you all came.

I dig deep into my memory

Which tells me you all came to rob,

To civilize, to evangelise, to make

A better human out of the brute

That I am.

Don’t you, you, you and you all

Think the desire to convert others

Is an imperialist desire?

Why should I be your look-alike?

Your carbon copy or photocopy or

A copy of yours printed in the

Press at Alipore?

Why do you want me to change my Ways?

Why don’t you change yours?

Why don’t you let me live in peace?

I don’t demand anything from you.

I can live without your gifts, your Religion, your education, illiterate,

Unknown, unsung, unremunerated,

Until the next dawn of civilisation.

I Shudra with a tail

Shall sweep the corridors of time

With my tail –

The tale of a comet.

Author – A. L. Rawal

[irp]