Here is the bad news, World:
The City Upon the Hill—
Exclusive preserve of the
Beautiful and the bold—is ill.
Having chosen a money-changer
To rule, most now are mortified
To see that he is somewhat
Of a fool. A man of mercenary
Vision, he seems to adhere
Neither to the Good Book,
Nor to the Constitution, both
Of which say fie, fie to
Those that lie.
Thus, while some carry his
Mock-head in blood,
Others enact his murder
On stage. Yet others fire
Their guns in public rage.
None of this is what
You may expect of a democracy
That we thought had come of age.
When such things happen at home
In the land of the brave, be sure
It could be globally a close shave.
So pray for Jesus to re-enter
The manger, and rise to dismantle
The temple of the money-changer;
And to spread the word of peace
To those who now make bold
To live not by love but by the sword.
Badri Raina is a well-known commentator on politics, culture and society. His columns on the Znet have a global following. Raina taught English literature at the University of Delhi for over four decades and is the author of the much acclaimed Dickens and the Dialectic of Growth. He has several collections of poems and translations. His writings have appeared in nearly all major English dailies and journals in India.
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