i used to take for granted

the secularism of this (my?) country.

as a kid, i never paid much

attention to the front of the bus

where ganesha, jesus, the mecca and thiruvalluvar

rocked on over the rough roads

but now i do.

now i am forced to notice and remember

little acts against the grain of hate

and curate for myself a museum

of reminders of what (we?) could be.

i'm forced to remember the two drivers

passing a cigarette as the headlights of their auto-rickshaws

nearly kissed each other, one windshield stickered

with the trinity of marx, periyar, and ambedkar

while the other was sprawled with a mural

of a majestically meditating shiva.

i'm forced to remember a moment on a bus

when a woman in a burqa asked a nun

where is the church stop and the nun answered

it's right next to the vinayagar temple.

the hypodermic needle of the godi media

injects a drug of distractive purpose—

fight now to save your eternal religion

while their kids are in harvards and stanfords.

i want unity in diversity to be a boring essay topic again

and not an endangered species of belief.

i want to take unity for granted again.

~ ajay

19/6/2022