As the death toll due to Covid19 mounts, people are throwing up arms before God, seeking compassion and solace. There seems a be a dead-end and humankind is at its wit’s end. Politicians, statesmen, religious authorities are all at sea.  A compassionate lady, known for assisting the poor, ailing and the aged, Kavita Jamatia implores God for help in this poem which spells out the maladies that have come along with Coronavirus to the masses.

ITHINK COVID19 IS A TESTING TIME FOR HUMANITY. I am worried about increasing suicides and seek God’s compassion to overcome the travails of this pandemic. I appeal to fellow human beings to be benign and fair. Here is my prayer to God and his people:

The world seems defeated by Covid-19 pandemic
Schools and college are devoid of work academic
Thousands of poor people have died of hunger
Through the pandemic, is God showing anger?

Hunger leads labourers to commit suicide
It’s happening in the world, all four sides
Theft, gambling and crime increase in society
As there is no work in the village or the city. 

Suspected cases kept under quarantine
Hard to control as many in their teens
The whole world is under a Lockdown
Hopes and dreams have broken down. 

No one understands the superpower’s policy
For innocent people, there is no love and mercy
What are their plan, scheme and purpose?
Playing with lives suffering from Coronavirus. 

Pandemics breakout once in 100 years
Natural or artificial virus, people no longer bear
Crops and greenery destroyed by a locust swarm
Food, security and livelihood are on harm.

It’s a dusky, dark, doom and gloomy year of 2020
Everything and everyone faces extreme scarcity
Fear is that this may bring the big famine
Then, who will be fair and who will be mean!!

Thousands of poor people will die from starvation
The State must take immediate preventive action
Oh God! show mercy, love and care
Oh, Humans! let us be equal and fair.

Kavita Jamatia is a retired school headmistress and social activist, engaged with the Borok Women’s Forum for women’s rights, language, cultural and land rights of the indigenous peoples of Tripura. She has participated in regional, national and international social, cultural and human rights meets.