Earthquake In Nepal Poem by Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

They woke up to a morning of sheer delight
new hopes, old aspirations, salient peace
existing in those minds that dream slowly
and thrive on mountains and scenic harmony
to burn their hearths and feed their generations;
suddenly mother-nature rocked the cradle of despair
as the earth under their feet rattled so abruptly
crushing them, their homes, gobbling their tranquility
consuming their existence, their stability;
how they died, how they survived
only pain can tell, only eyes can dispel;
yet, it will never vanish, that sordid event
as it swept away the calm of their hearts...
not just yesterday but until everyone
that escaped the wrath, survives.
And now they come, people from everywhere
they want to help, they want to be kind
they want to dig out the dead
they want to feed the living men, women
and little children that survived that ordeal
which they will never ever be able to understand or explain.
And as now comes in, tonnes of food, medical-aid
and all that is needed to wipe out their tears
how can they deliberate why they were not warned
why were they not told of tremors so grave
that would jolt them and sway their hopes;
had only Mother-nature stopped its fury
had only the incident awaited its occurrence
so many would not be buried
so many would have not lost their kin.
Yet as you come to help, as you come,
yes, as you come to comfort them
how did you not think of them
when they were so silent about their needs
when they needed assistance to see better days before
rather than now when fate had consigned them
to unhappiness and grieving tomorrows?
Had you to be kindlier to them before
had you to show the compassion and concern
you want to offer them today,
O’ world, they would have seen better days
better homes, better yesterdays
before they fell into the arms of debris and death.