"Even in a Conscious State,

the Entire Nation Is Unconscious!"

On the occasion of Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena’s 36th death anniversary, we remember his poem, ‘Deshgaan’ ('An Ode to The Nation').

An Ode to The Nation

What a country this is, what a country!

Of courts and clients, there is no sign

Yet cases are made out all the time

Every heart is a stony mountain

every eye a river of brine

The human is mere topography

carved into the map of choice

What a country this is, what a country!

All are masters at conjuring

crops in the palm of the hand

But the palm itself is a pauper

wandering door to door

What a country this is, what a country!

Tree or human

It makes no difference

Raze them all to the ground

Yet the jungle is forever

What a country this is, what a country!