On Mrs Gandhi's death

The light has gone and hopelessness descends
in blankets of dark, swirling grey mists
covering a nation with its gloom
There is no leader, only anguished hearts
that hunt the way to doom.

the night has fallen, there is no moon
nor stars and the sky seems so far
there is no light, no one to guide the way
only a dark hatred burns everlastingly
and millions watch...helpless and astray.

O come the morn with singing birds
and light and sunshine clear
come dawn and vanish hazy mist
come hope and wipe the tear

-- that falls across this fallen land
with hearts that long and long...
and grieve the death of one who was
and millions hopeless throng...

...and stumble in the darkened streets
at times they stop and pause
for the sound of a voice, the touch of a hand
a ray of a light that was!

Written at age 17 soon after Mrs Gandhi's assassination in 1984 and after witnessing the senseless riots that rocked the nation in its wake. This poem was later forwarded to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on Mrs Gandhi's first death anniversary, who replied with a note of thanks. Published National Herald, 31 October 1988.