A poem for Benazir Bhutto - and
some comments by ordinary Pakistanis
Benazir Bhutto (21 June 1953 – 27 December 2007)
We are prepared to risk our lives, But we are not prepared to surrender our
great nation to the militants. - Benazir Bhutto
Hideous serpents hissed and recoiled,
Mesmerized by your homecoming,
Obvious of your mighty presence.
Forked-tongues darting out,
... Poised for the final kill.
The bang that butchered over a hundred bodies,
The road that ignited with flesh and blood,
Did little to deter your determination,
Nor shake your spirit,
To build our half-ravaged cities,
And rekindle the hearts of your poor folks.
They stalked you all along,
Like a homeless hunter
Far from the hills,
Breathing in silence,
Camouflaged in crowds.
Yes, indeed you knew them all-
Those cut-throat thugs with lolling tongues,
Militants within, militants without, Al-Qaida,Talibans,
Who knows what?
There is something rotten in the state of Pakistan………..
They rise in congregation,
Grubby boots, imbecile minds,
Broken promises, lidless eyes.
M. Azim Khan
6, Gulmohar Road
University Town
Peshawar