A Christmas Carol For Our Times / Where Lies Hope | Sagari Chhabra

A Christmas Carol For Our Times

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
had a shiny nose,
and in the dark
every one swore it glowed!
All the children made fun of Rudolph
and his nose,
so the story goes;
never included him in their games,
which is an utter shame.

One day, Santa came
and asked Rudolph
if he would drive his very own sleigh.
and the children sang,
Rudolph the reindeer
it’s your imperfection
that makes you so dear,
your gait is so free,
you’ll go down in history!’

Today Santa came himself
and told Rudolph his nose was too bloody
along with his antlers and hooves,
he couldn’t possibly move;
so many kids had been slayed!
Santa wept and prayed,
‘My gifts are peace and joy,
the maimed and killed
children of Gaza
are no one’s toys!
Stop the slaying
and I’ll restore my gifts,
but Rudolph gently shook his head,
as if to ask instead,
‘What can I possible do?’ he sighed,
to this Santa replied,
‘March the streets
In boots of snow,
sing, shout, scream,
tell them what you already know,
killing hammer and sledge is a brutal show;
terror snowballs all boundaries,
it’s no mystery;
rein in this war
and you’ll go down
in civilisation’s history!’

Sagari Chhabra
12 January 2025

Where Lies Hope?

The plane touches the runway;
slowly with utmost care
wheelchairs are rolled out,
the attendants take solicitous care;
but someone dares to peek and stares,
who are these little dolls;
for no one stalls
their movement.
My goodness! They are indeed little children,
so fragile they are laid prone,
hit by drones
in Gaza, but now
airlifted for special surgeries
on their small but deeply wounded bodies.

Oh! When will you ever learn;
you have robbed them of their childhood
will no one discern,
after Vietnam and the dropping of napalm
no one must ever harm
the children of the earth.

Standing by the disembarking children
Is a young woman,
who has braved Zionist jeers
on the subway;
fighting back tears,
she holds a placard high,
‘Welcome to America!
We Love you!’

That young woman
and her small group of friends
is our only hope;
look after her for she embodies humanity,
as you tether on the edge of insanity.
Food aid boxes are being trampled
by occupying soldiers,
U.N vans are being attacked;
how much suffering will you inflict
on the traumatized children of Gaza;
this has become for you Netanyahu,
a playhouse plaza,
where every torturous trick
is performed,
as we watch our civilizational values
break, brick by brick.
That young woman
with her heart full of compassion,
only she can show the way;
a flickering candle in the dark;
she bears witness unto the truth,
listen to her voice:
‘Stop the genocide!
Stop humanity’s suicide!
Dear mankind
be kind
to mankind!’

Sagari Chhabra
15 May 2024