Poem
Devansh Joshi
Beauty and Conflict
Overlooked by mighty mountains,
Sprawls a land of ethereal beauty
Enveloped in snow and green curtains
A sea of emerald and opal in its bosom.
Majestic chinars strive for the stratos;
While the willow fuels every cricketer’s passion
Silver dons its lofty plateaus;
With pinecones scattered ‘round like rustic ornaments
The air breathes of lively daffodils
As rolling hills of lavender recline with periwinkle;
Rhododendrons adorn its foothills
And hypnotizing indigoes mirror the night sky
A soft blanket of snow descends
From towering black clouds,
An eiderdown in the ascents
Of a vivid white summit
Yet as the dust of snow falls,
It soaks up the crimson-red blood
Of the fallen man who crawls;
A victim of conflict, a victim of distrust
People grapple for survival,
As terror engulfs their abode
The vision diminished by the arrival-
Of uncalled secessionists.
The Chinar stands muffled;
Gunshots reign supreme.
The Willow weeps; ruffled,
Only in hope can the land be redeemed.