Babylon: Manini Priyan Olikara
Babylon
Manini Priyan Olikara
I used to live in a great country.
Founded on ideals of non-violence
A place with one of the oldest histories in the world
A place I was proud to call home
But this great country has fallen
A tinderbox of injustice and inequality
There is no “We”
But Hindu vs Non-Hindu
Migrant worker or work from home
Virus affected
Or not.
A nation that has lost its moral center
Tyrannical despots in power
Who throw matchsticks
To light the same fire
Lit by the previous invaders
I say a prayer
And try to summon my own strength
Hoping my prayer
Will crack open the heavens
And rain of justice pours down
To return Babylon to its former glory.
Manini Priyan Olikara discovered her love for writing while she was pursuing her second Masters from King's College, London. She works as a corporate HR business partner during the day and spends her nights writing poetry, science fiction, and fantasy. Her poems have been published in literary magazines like Spillwords and Literary Yard. Her first poem anthology Isolocation was published in August this year.