The Indian Muslim will not faint and falter at the Numeric Altar of the regime— Jaihoon’s poetic slam of India’s discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019

You flatter the visiting guests
At the Mahal
And feast on the biryani,
Kababs and jamuns

You flex your patriotic muscles
At the Fort
And reign in the city
Who the Sultans built

You gloat in sherwani
Hailing the ghazal
And flirt with your beloved
In the Urdu vowel

You claim to be one nation-
United by the folk of Babar
India: whose very name
Was donated by the Other

Now, at last, when you have
Had all the nectar
You ask the Flower to prove
Its love for the Garden!

We fought the Colonial Satan
Tooth and nail
We sacrificed our children
For this dignified soil

Don’t be fooled that your threat
Will have us falter
We shall remain firm:
Not faint at your Numeric Altar

We are here to forever stay
So try not to keep us at bay
Amend your thought and say
And join us in peace and love play

Dec 12 2019. Edit 2024