Spending all his life
In only living the life
He is tired-
From the present he retired into history-
*******************
My thought
Like brilliant sun
Fell
Upon the word
And its long shadow
Fell
Upon the century-
Sun was playing
With the early morning flowers
And time was frightened at the
Sight of martyr.
***********
One-twentieth century devotee
Rang the temple bell………
From a distance
I heard
The old temple was coughing!
Its stones fell away
Here and there like teeth
Man
Is still in the temple
In quest of the super-human
To save him!
* * *** ** ** * *
Those hands in the clock
Are not gymnasts in a circus
They are partners
In turning our life
Into time
The objects in creation
Have perhaps within them
Two turning hands
Which transform
Life into time
Dropping leaves
Flight of birds
Snow like moon
Melting away in the
Morning sky/skies
Are all but objects
Moving to join the procession
Towards horizons of time
*********************************
I visualise that the rise and fall of world forces in future will be in the following pattern. Europe, which held the reins of power over the world for nearly three centuries, handed over the reins to America and stepped down at the end of the world war. England, which was in the front rank of European nations with an empire on a global scale, suddenly shrunk down. After that, to the size of a small island practically left with negligible influence. America, which was like a sleeping colossus prior to world war isolated herself to her own frontiers and never stepping into the world politics in spite of numerous temptations and external pressures, walked into the international arena with giant strides commanding enormous resources behind, which no other nation in the world could. America, which formed into a nation within European population who crossed the Atlantic under circumstances of doubtful sources of livelihood, emerged as a most powerful nation closely knit by hard labour directed towards common aspirations. America for millenniums past was an entirely virgin by any human agency, despite the rise and fall of ancient civilisations on that soil in the hoary past. History reports there was no agriculture worth the name and what the texture of those of the country’s natural resources is completely shrouded still in shores of America. America was a pure simple virgin; not even one inch of its soil upturned to put it to the use of human society. The European people, who later made up the American nation, were already veterans in the activity of nation building and reconstruction. Under the touch of their hand s the giant continent of America succumbed; and today her mines, her forests, her plains are all fully exploited and as the science and technology developed with greater leaps and bounds in America than else. Increased tremendously and by the turn of the first half of the 20th century, America emerged as the mightiest nation in the world. Contrary wise, Europe which exhausted its resources and spent up its energies by ceaseless activity for over 3 hundred years became a tired continent; Whereas Russia has been rebuilding he economy, while the rest of the world remained till recently, one large colony of the European nations. This was the context in which America stepped into participate in world politics.
America quickly revealed herself in the international politics as a minor who just then attained majority inheriting enormous wealth from parents. Her manner in the society of nations was brusque and always born out of certain consciousness of wealth. Soon she dominated the scene scattering her dollar power all over the world, creating all kinds of political treaties and regional organisations of small nations like NATO, SEATO, and CENTO etc. And then the early Marshal Aid was plan-interfering in every part of the world as if it were her divine mission to set the world to order.
The speed with which America is rushing in the international scene, gives us the impression that she might soon exhaust herself an d reach the place to which Europe is today is relegated. Europe could hold the scene for a remarkably longer period because world leadership comes, by contributing a distinct culture to an age and Europe played that role during her tenure. America being only a transplantation of Europe on the other shores of the Atlantic, could not show yet any signs of such significant contribution to world history. Naturally the dominant role of America in the ultimate analysis is only her financial power not backed up by any cultural or moral force.
In the same stretch if we turn to other parts if we return to other parts of the world, we find Russia, more exhausted, her endeavours of reconstruction not equal to the pace of progress in the outside world. This is not to underrate the significance of the Great Experiment that the people of USSR are making, pursuing with tenacity the road to the realisation of the great dream of the 20th century. However, a cold blooded analysis of the world situation reveals to us the rising of unforeseen historical forces which are tending to interfere with execution of those plans which were hatched originally on the soil of Russia. We find that camp of world communism divided into bits and also undergoing drastic modifications. Today we have what could be described as the Chinese brand of communism then the Indian brand of communism, the Yugoslavian brand etc. Africa, the one most fertile soil for the growth of communism is neither receptive to that creed due to her preoccupations with her more basic issues nor is communism remaining the same without drastic modifications in those few places in that continent where it could penetrate. The velocity with which communism as a political doctrine made its headway in the 30s and 40s has later on suffered serious retrogression in different parts of the world. Together with this, other very significant causes like capitalism itself undergoing serious changes and the concept of state evolving into an institution bearing tremendous responsibilities of the society, all rendered the relevance of communism, ineffective in the new context of today’s world, more less removing the wind out of its sails. No factor in history robbed of its context could bear the same magnitude of influence constantly, as for instance wars of crusades may not have the same appeal or justification today as they had when they occurred.
In such an order of things it is only Africa that stands out as the one historic possibility surcharged with the moral and intellectual potentialities to play the leading role in the world affairs. They are a race who is now like a molten gold with splendid mobility of spirit, passing through the fires of centuries of suffering and purification. Their intellect is like the dazzling steel freshly out of the furnace. World does not offer leadership to any people because they have money or political power. It is by vigoruous, dynamic and dominant participation by a race of people in the making of an age that they find themselves at a stage, in the position when the rest of the mankind becomes susceptible to their voice. They cry of the “Black’ is the violent cry of the oppressed millions of the world, tearing across the Earth. The voice of Africa is emotional and intellectual. She is enchanting beyond all powers of resistance. I am sure she is the heir to the coming world
-Seshendra Sharma
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