Pakistan

Pakistan

i stopped caring

some time ago

what anyone in the world

thinks of the land

where i was born

where i live

brown, smelly people

for the most part poor,

neither illustrious

nor famous for much

but the violence

they carry out

in the name of their

barbaric religion

this is what many think

who’re far, far away

who’ve never set foot

in the country

a hundred and eighty million

call home

those who want to hate

don’t want to know

i don’t care

as i’m not looking

for their approval

we have our share of

beasts and demons

perhaps a large share

it’s true

there is rot and violence here

but i’ve also never met

a people more generous

more hospitable

than those i’ve met here

(and i’ve traveled quite a bit

and also lived

for a decade and a half

in the most famous

of all countries)

such warm and loving people

you’d be hard pressed to find

they open their hearts

and their homes

to total strangers

even in the midst of calamity

and offer them all they have

left to eat

when you stay in their homes

they treat you better than family

they treat you like royalty

they flock around you

when you’re sick

when you’re sad

when you’re happy

and pray for you fervently

some of them

you could not trust

at all

others you could trust

with your life

and all you owned

and you wouldn’t

be wrong

an indian gentleman

i met in delhi

cried when i told him

where i was from

he was so overcome

by the memory

of the love he’d encountered

on a trip to this land

a decade ago

he wiped his tears

as he said

“and we’re supposed to be enemies”

i could go on

and on and on

about our ancient

rich culture

our mystics

our intoxicating music

and poetry

our history

of unbelievable harmony

our people

of incredible diversity, bravery

our vast open deserts

our majestic mountains

and landscapes

of stupendous beauty

but i only want to say

we may not have

impressive technology

or rich corporations

good social indicators

even a high GNP

most of us are poor

and simple

and unassuming

but people here

have big hearts

and they’re not afraid

to love

and what can you say

after you’ve spoken of love?

what can you say

that is greater than love?

what do i care

about the ignorant world?

let them hate, fear

and stay away

our love

is enough

it nourishes us

it nourishes me

9th march 2015

from the upcoming book "The Truth Is Love"

photo credit: free range free stock photos from the web

for a copy of the book "Set My Heart On Fire" contact nalayn.publications@gmail.com; 

internationally available through Amazon and www.intentpublishing.com