Conscience

By Kamrun Nahar
 [email protected]

I�ll be yours on that day

When you give unbiased verdicts

In favor of justice; when your eyes

Shed tears for the hungry;


Witnessing injustice in the society,

When, instead of being a mute,

You, with a voice that�s resolute,

Protest it strongly and bravely;

 
When for the rescue of victims

Of flood, draught and cyclone,

You, the savior, run without any hesitation

Ignoring scorching sunlight, rain and storm;

 

When in your thoughts� realm,

Humanity, like a king, reign;

Only on that day, hey man!

I*1, the conscience, will be your �Shyam�.*2

   ______

[The poem was originally written in Bengali titled the 'Bibek� (Conscience) and has been translated into English by the poet.]

16 December, 2006

Footnote:
*2Shyam: The God of love.
*1Here, the word �I� denotes to conscience, which talks through the whole poem like a person with the human race.  

About the author: Kamrun Nahar is doing her M.Phil on �Political Violence in Bangladesh� in the Institute of Bangladesh Studies (IBS) at the University of Rajshahi in Bangladesh. She is also an author of two published Bangla novels.