May 1, 2021, Karuna Onta, Kathmandu .
Living in poverty is a piece of art; have been practicing it by slogging in cold and dark
Roast I myself in the heat of the sun; juggle I, with my family unable to meet their ends
Promise I, silently to work harder daily; hoping to see my children grow merrily
None of this I succeed to achieve; question I internally and put a check on my speed
I look around and see powerful people with more wealth but work of no sort
Wonder how their accumulation match, when they only sit idle and talk
Find I this equation wrong and inquire the injustice showered upon
Eagerly now I search for my fellow poor, unite them to challenge this status quo
Join I, a group in my neighbourhood, learn I, to raise my voice and issues
Hear I, my peers suffering in shame, powerless we feel with unbearable pain
Challenge I my master, lived where I have for years and taken scores of orders
Fail I, to convince him of his numerous unfairness and disorders
Just enough he gives me to stay alive, wish I had lesser, to revolt and fight
Breaking the chain of poverty is another piece of art; determined I am to shatter them apart
Convinced I get with the argument of a wise man, committed to selflessly uplift my clan
Commit I too, to devote my life; end inequality and bring the change that I dreamt of, all the time
Borrow again I money from my master, tell him to pay back even faster
Agrees he on one condition, my family serves him until redemption
Slave they become of a crazy man, spend their life in remand
I use my time to learn and screen, serve my people to achieve their dream
Never will I relax in the days to come; until the inequalities are undone and gone
Power will I snatch, from those who are with it, surrounded and attached
Space will then be ushered to all whose dignities were crushed
Rise will they and lead the not-haves; to end the emperorship of the haves
Create together we will our own piece of art,
Marvelled will it be by generations in charm
Magical this change will benefit us all, categories of rich and poor will fall
Sacrifices of many will be remembered in humility; inequality in Nepal will never spark enmity
Karuna Onta
