LINKS: POEMS ABOUT SOLDIERS & PATRIOTISM

I spent three years in the Indian Army, which I joined on 5 October 1965 as an officer in the Army Medical Corps, when Pakistan attacked India and a state of national emergency was declared. I did so in response to the call of duty, out of a sense of patriotism, putting off my academic and professional career prospects for three years.

It is natural that my experience at that young age (I was twenty three and a half years old when I joined army) should leave a deep impression upon me, and that it should find expression in my poems. Some of the poems below have also been occasioned by the so called American war on terrorism, in which many US soldiers are stranded in Iraq, for a cause that was non-existent (the WMD).

The poems are listed in the chronological order of their creation. The title is followed by the the link and date.

17 December 2007

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HASTA LUEGO--award winner "HASTA LUEGO--award winner" , 29 June 2003
[Beloved bids farewell to the lover called to battlefield]

HEART OF STONE: award winner—"HEART OF STONE: award winner"  5 July 2003
[A soldier in Iraq speaks out his heart to the poet]

A TEAR FOR A SOLDIER: award winner—"A TEAR FOR A SOLDIER: award winner" , 1 August, 2003
[A soldier sacrificed his life and his beloved sacrificed her love.]


A SOLDIER’S LETTER TO HIS MOM—"A SOLDIER’S LETTER TO HIS MOM" , I May 2004
[ A young soldier's letter to his Mom, from Iraq]

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE: ghazal—"CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE: a ghazal" , 31 July, 2004
[In memory of Lord Tennyson's master-piece.]

CHRISTMAS CALL: award winner— "CHRISTMAS CALL: award winner" , 25 December 2004
[A US soldier in Iraq remembers Christmas and his love]



THE LIVING DEAD: an acrostic—award winner—"THE LIVING DEAD: an acrostic-- winner" , 8 May 2005
[A soldiers’ cemetery, a temple of living souls]

WAR CEMETERY—"WAR CEMETERY: award winner" , 30 May 2005
[At the grave of the unknown soldier]


COME, MY LOVE—"COME, MY LOVE" , 7 August 2005
[The beloved’s call to her soldier lover]

MA, DON’T CRY—"MA, DON'T CRY" , 12 August 2005
[A young soldier takes leave of his mother to go to the war front]


A SOLDIER’S WISH: award winner—"A SOLDIER’S WISH--award winner" , 7 March 2006
[A dying soldier’s wish]

DON’T CRY, MOM— translated. "DON’T CRY, MOM--translated"  , 14 April 2006
[Goodbye from a son going to be hanged.]


I WOULD WAIT FOR YOU—"I WOULD WAIT FOR YOU--award winner" , 15 December 2007
[Waiting for a soldier]

FAR FROM HOME-- "FAR FROM HOME" , 16 December 2007
[Doubts in the mind of a soldier in Iraq]

KISS THE DAMSEL: award winner—"KISS THE DAMSEL" , 12 July 2008
[An invocation for the soldiers’ march.]

THE STEEL SOLDIER: a nonet-- "THE STEEL SOLDIER: a nonet"  , 21 September 2008
[The steel frame, too, has soft dreams.]

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PATRIOTISM—"Invalid Entry" , 26 February 2006
[Doubts in the mind of a veteran.]