Community?

I was one among the thousand

Men and women in my village;

A tiny group of humans, a small

branch amidst the world’s foliage.

Our habits and our lives were

twined-

Strangers called us a

‘community,’

But we knew better than that,

We were closer than a family.

Hand-in-hand, side-by-side,

We stood by each other-

If a fist clenched in silent pain,

The village would be in it together.

I was brimmed with pride-

Our strong solidarity

Only grew stronger each time

In any adversity –

Until a dark storm whirled in from the abyss-

The ghastly pit of human evil,

Blew away lives and hearts

And many were bewitched by

the Devil.

Most folded their hands to protect themselves-

Eventually, so did the rest.

I only observed with empty palms

As they tried to do what they thought was best.

The branch thinned down to a twig,

When people forgot their deeper roots.

The tiny group became smaller,

it had become something none could refute.

And I for one had stood still

Throughout the unforeseen,

My mind wanted to give in

But I had already died within.

The storm from Hell had caused destruction

Maybe the storm was inside them

And our family made no sense,

It was evident something had changed-

The great community had lost

its eminence.

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~ By Mustafa