In Spite Of War
In spite of war, in spite of death,
In spite of all man’s sufferings,
Something within me laughs and sings
And I must praise with all my breath.
In spite of war, in spite of hate
Lilacs are blooming at my gate,
Tulips are tripping down the path
In spite of war, in spite of wrath.
“Courage!” the morning-glory saith;
“Rejoice!” the daisy murmureth,
And just to live is so divine
When pansies lift their eyes to mine.
The clouds are romping with the sea,
And flashing waves call back to me
That naught is real but what is fair,
That everywhere and everywhere
A glory liveth through despair.
Though guns may roar and cannon boom,
Roses are born and gardens bloom;
My spirit still may light its flame
At that same torch whence poppies came.
Where morning’s altar whitely burns
Lilies may lift their silver urns
In spite of war, in spite of shame.
And in my ear a whispering breath,
“Wake from the nightmare! Look and see
That life is naught but ecstasy
In spite of war, in spite of death!”
– By Angela Morgan
Angela Morgan, lived during both of the World Wars. In this poem, Morgan shares that everything in nature continued as if nothing was happening despite a devastating war. The same can be true about our lives. Life continues even when terrible things happen, so this poem encourages us to look at the beauty around us rather than focus on our lives’ negative aspects.
Covid has completely changed our lives. Many of us feel shocked and exasperated for not being able to do things we have always loved. Basic things which we forever took for granted such as shopping, spending time with our friends and families, going out for entertainment all of a sudden have been taken away from us. Our children miss their friends, and we miss our routines that have become utterly chaotic with schools and offices closed. People living alone find it all the more difficult as human interaction has withered mainly due to various restrictions.
Not only that, so many of us had to cancel so many plans because of present circumstances. A dream trip to Disneyworld, a family visit, or some financial investment, we had to cancel innumerable plans because of changed circumstances.
However, there are so many things to be thankful for and so many things that we can still enjoy. The connections we share with our friends, our feelings for loved ones, respect for parents, and most importantly, LOVE! LOVE IS NOT CANCELLED.
Though the time is tough, and the end seems so far, we all are doing well to overcome this hurdle. Let’s pray and hope that when this is all over, there are no permanent scars. And, we can sit around that Kitchen table with our loved ones like the old times, eat, talk, and laugh loudly. Let us pray for the times when being positive means only that and not some dreaded disease casting a shadow on us.
Vibha S Kapil
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