Review: Chernobyl Prayer: A Chronicle of the Future

Chernobyl Prayer: A Chronicle of the Future by Svetlana Alexievich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes you read a book and sit and think for a while. Svetlana's Chernobyl Prayer makes you do that at several pages. This book is a collection of monologues from the members of Clean Up squad (liquidators), their relatives, the residents of Pripyat and neighboring villages whose world was turned upside down on 26th April 1986.
This book is so many things - a voice to those the world never bothered to hear, the farmers who were told everything they grow needs to be destroyed with no explanation, families uprooted from their ancestral homes never to return. But foremost it exposes how powerful state propaganda can be - the firemen, several thousands of liquidators who volunteered willingly or under peer pressure to remove extremely radioactive debris from roof where even robots were getting fried because this was war from them; war against Atom - an enemy they can't even see much less comprehend.
The utter disregard for human cost amidst unprecedented radiation levels; the brainwashing of entire population and the secrecy to maintain the facade of crumbing ideology is poignant, painful and a warning. A warning that when state begins dictating history, crushes the individualism and censors anything on pretext of protecting its people its time to write, read, hear and raise the voices. And it does not matter if its Communism or democracy -each is equally bad when it comes to this.
Most disturbing is the plight of those who stayed back or cam back to their homes - all alone in wilderness, marked by others as 'Children of Chernobyl'. Cheated by a system that is no longer present, a world that does not care anymore -
"They are innocent and vacant. They have found the meaning and justification of their existence in suffering" - Natalia Roslova, chairwoman Women's Committee of Children of Chernobyl

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The Last Flight

Can I say something to you tonight?
Can I've a glimpse of that face before the flight?
Can I've a moment before you're out of sight?
I might not be the one who's right,
But can I say something to you tonight?

My favoutie poetry

A hurry of hoofs in a village street,
A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark,
And beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark
Struck out from a steed flying fearless and fleet:
That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light,
The fate of a nation was riding that night.
‘Tales of a Wayside Inn’ pt. 1 (1863) ‘The Landlord’s Tale: Paul Revere’s Ride’
Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing;
Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness;
So on the ocean of life we pass and speak one another,
Only a look and a voice; then darkness again and a silence.
‘Tales of a Wayside Inn’ pt. 3 (1874) ‘The Theologian’s Tale: Elizabeth’ pt. 4
Under a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.
‘The Village Blacksmith’ (1839)
It was the schooner Hesperus,
That sailed the wintry sea;
And the skipper had taken his little daughter,
To bear him company.
‘The Wreck of the Hesperus’ (1839)
But the father answered never a word,
A frozen corpse was he.
‘The Wreck of the Hesperus’ (1839)
There was a little girl
Who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead,
When she was good
She was very, very good,
But when she was bad she was horrid.
Composed for, and sung to, his second daughter while a babe in arms, c.1850. B. R. Tucker-Machete ‘The Home Life of Henry W. Longfellow’ (1882) ch. 5, also E. W. Longfellow ‘Random Memories’ (1922) 

IT RAINS AGAIN!

Well,well!Been long since i was last here but i guess time right to rain again!!

Below the thundering clouds under the Banyan;
He stood in rags upon the construction sand.
Sitting in the cozy restaurant I gazed;
At the skeleton in front of the building being raised.

Development they say is upon us:
The buildings,the roads and none to stop us.
My eyes meet those of the "developer";
Hollow aimless as they are
I guess they make me gaze inwards;
Into my heart:catches me off guard.

Searing through his skin the chilly air;
Worthless to him is this grandeur.
The cars on streets,satellites in sky;
His mind doesn't dream so high.
All he wants is to keep dragging,
So that his stomach isn't lagging.

Between all this the clouds thunder in vain;
I turn my back before it rains again.

KEEP SLEEPING

Sleep!As you have been for years now;

As you keep getting everything somehow.

No matter who cries,no matter who dies:
But let not these errands disturbe your eyes.

For you've fullfilled all your dreams;
And your ears 've become immune to hungry screams.

Thou the masters of decieving;

But you needn't worry for its we who are recieving;

The grief,utter sorrowand endless pains,
And your coffers are overflowing with gains.

Gains made from that farmers field;

Who has a family, but nothing  to feed.

The eyes of his cildren are numb and dreamless,

Trodden by your greed,that seems endless.

This misery ,despair are not meant for thee;

For these are for them ,'the lower species'

But make no mistake dear;
'coz silence is ominous wrapped with fear,

Wake up lest their patience sways;

Wake up or it'll too late to repay!

HE IN ME

I think there's a kid in me,

Who sees all that I can't see.

He is blind to all the distinctions;

The greed and the vindications,

That have muddled my thoughts you see,

And made me a man I don't want to be.

He likes the wind ,the rain,the seas

Savours the beauty around with ease;

While I only can feel jealous of him,

Surrounded by them all and still be grim.

He is reckless with his innocence;

While all I have is pretence.

For him are not the rules of this world,

Of rich and poor;of stone and gold.

For he is contended with all he has;
But its me dissatisfied with what I have.

Wish I could be him,be a kid again;

Wish I could run free,run with no refrain!  

Y M I?

No guys this has nothing to do with YMI movie released recently.Just spell these three words again Y  M  I.Yeah,now you got it.Its Why Am I?
Has this question ever bothered you ?Has it ever crossed your mind ?Why are we here on this planet?This all seems very philosophical and no doubt is.But it wouldn't be of any harm to ponder over this question.
What I'm trying to convey here is that what is our very reason of existence?Look around you.Except Homo Sapiens the other visible things are trees,roads,cars and many other inanimate objects.But each of this objects have an objective;a purpose for their existence.But what about us?What is our intent or in other words what it should be so as to justify our cause of existence.Deeper you try to connect to a reasonable opinion,more you realize that our existence is perhaps the least significant.Exaggeration!Maybe,but my personal opinion is that its our exasperation on not finding a suitable answer that makes us feel so.The Bible,the Gita,the Quran all preach us to lead a spiritual,righteouslife;dedicate ourselves to the service of God.But none tells why.Why should we devote ourselves to Someone whom none of us has seen or experienced?
after all this i'm still there from where I started Y M I?Anyone with answers out there!!

CAN I?

Can I be there with the stars?
Can I reach the peak with these scars?

Can I overcome my past mistakes?
Can I give it all that it takes?

Can I resist all the temptations?

Can I stop getting satisfied with satisfactions?

Can I be placid,when its chaos around?

Can I be silent,when its all sound?

Can I take all the criticizm gracefully?

Can I achieve success righteously?

Can I stop asking "Can I"?

'coz I CAN;I WILL TOUCH THE SKY!

SILENCE

Standing so close yet miles away;
No words there,none here to say.

Whirlwinds of thougts in our heads;
But neither she nor I said.

Things that should have been uttered,
Are locked;they are shuttered.

We know that this world has changed us;
And we are no more than strangers.

Eyes clash only to go down again;
Wish they could say;but in vain.

Our hearts etch to be one once more;
Each knows this but none is sure.

If my life's a boat; she is my sail;
But its only silence and silence prevails!

WHAT IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES!!

It was 10 at night.I was walking down the steet lost in my sea of thoughts,thinking about the things I had done today;the errands I've to run tomorrow:-wake up early in the morning,go for classes,laundry,library,do this and do that.Then as if impressed by the silence surrounding me my brain too became numb. Moment later it lightened with a thought"what if I don't wake up tomorrow;what if tomorrow never comes?"Its a thought which both titillates and sort of scares me.What titillates me is to think what I would do if this is to be my last day on this planet.And that is what scares me .Of course,the end is inevitable as it has always been but still it seems so incredible.So what would I do?
Well,the truth is that no one else figures in my mind as soon as the faces of my parents.And it simply obviates my characteristic to not remember my friends,my foes and numerous other people whom I came across in this walk called life.But its in the proximity of my parents I would like to end this walk.The faces I first saw are the last ones I would want to see and go.I would like to feel that warmth,that sense of protection once more.Staying close to someone who says,"Don't worry son,I'm there."as they had been when I took my first staggering steps generates a sense of placidity that even makes your last steps the best you have ever taken.I might have never wished my mom a 'happy mother's day' but it has always been her face beaming with bliss that I have seen first on my birthday.Saying them"I love you!"once and for the last time would be THE FIRST THING I WOULD DO ON MY LAST DAY!!!


so what would you do if you came to know that this is your last day of existence?????
post your views and reviews below as this is only a fragment of things one would like to do on one's last day! so let your imaginations run wild and share the outcome here::::::

SOMETIMES

Sometimes I feel the floor below me thumping;
With no one around ;yet footsteps bumping.

Sometimes I feel there is someone;
Turning myself everywhere,only to find none.

Sometimes I hear someone talking to me,
A voice so firm; a voice so free.

Sometimes I sense beats of two hearts;
But it's only my shadow not far apart.

Sometimes I feel the door has been knocked upon:
But only wind around;the stranger gone.

Sometimes I feel someone is watching me;
From cavities and clinks invisible to all & sundry.

Sometimes I see dreams which are not mine;
Is this some symbol,is it some sign?

Sometimes I feel someone knows me better than me;
Someone is there I'm sure,though I can't see!

Sometimes I think someone knows all greed,all vanity;
Someone is there to reform this world of iniquity.

Someone I feel someone knows the meaning of all this;
Nothing is ours,its all His,no matter how much you wish!

WHEEL OF JUSTICE

Today I'll tell you a story,
Of all God made & his glory.

The beautiful Earth was first to come,

With all flora and fauna welcomed.

He gave colour to everything,
Glorifying all;leaving behind nothing.
He made the summer and the winter,
With butterflies and birds to twitter.
The river splashing over hills,
And seas shimmering the isles.
Everything seemed consummate,serene
Sacrosanct like this was nothing.
It seemed like He had given all it takes
But then He made a mistake.


Comes down on Earth the man.
In no time he had cart, he had van.
he deforested;made roads,rails for train
All that just because he had brain.
he killed the innocent animals with guns,
All that:he said was for fun.
he exploited the ground below,the Universe above it,
Did someone say sky was the limit?
he slaughtered,plundered his own brother;
Lived in a way as if there was no other.
And its true ;
He did evils which made Devil shudder.

The wheel of justice will turn someday,
Hope this story will end one day.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

every year we all celebrate our independence day with great patriotism .this is for all those who think so!


Oh God!This is the day!
Today is our Independence day.
Lets celebrate this today;
By sitting in front of TV set,
Watching the army parade on the net,
Lets hear what our PM has to say;
Because it is our Independence day.
Let us unfurl our national flag
In this patriotic deed none should lag!

Gone is the Independence day.
Lets get into what we do everyday;
Everyone has an urgency of his own
Who cares whether the flag is there or gone.
None to sing the National Anthem;None to hear,
Forget the crap,won't it come next year?