Light of Dawn

This piece of poetry was written on the theme of SIST ’14: Revive the light within; let the change begin

I gaze at the moonless sky, covered with black clouds
The darkness piercing my eyes, I close them with a frown
I hear the cry of jackals, oh what an eerie sound!
Rest is as still as death, I sit there as if spellbound

Staring at the shadows of trees, hopelessness grips me
Innocent eyes brimming with tears, in my memory, I can see
Small hands, rough and dirty, plead for just one meal
This is not the story of a single child, it’s of millions in my country

There are those who talk of change yet their walk remains the same
With a fake face, they help society, but their hearts are in plague
The ones who persist in evil, corruption and bad fame
Are no good either from those who play the game without a name

Tired of failing to earn an honest penny is the young man who ends his life
Same goes for the pretty damsel, through whose broken heart pierces the knife
This depression, is it due to a lack of purpose, among the youth, rife?
Is all the education and those degrees really not worth the strife?

Thinking such desolate thoughts, with a heavy head, I fall asleep
Only to be waken by a ray of light, that through the windows peeped
The next day had come and the sun had risen, looking strong and sweet
Despite the darkness every night, resolute to spread the light, through every crack and creep

Suddenly I felt the hopelessness seeping out of my very soul
It’s true that our situation is bad, but certain things we can control
The sun rises every day, determined to fulfill its role
Nature stares in our face all the time, meant to inspire, so we too set firm goals

After all, darkness and evil prevailed even worse in the Prophet’s times
But in a few years, the picture displayed peace and conquests, with hardly any crimes
It was one man who became the agent of change, with only a few people by his side
Allah’s Word, the Glorious Quran, was what helped them spread the light

So my dear brothers and sisters, pay heed to these signs in nature therein
This Quran has been called An-Nur by the Lord, so it will revive the light within
The depression and frustration will end only if you turn to Him
So understand His Words with an open heart, enlighten yourself and let the change begin!