Hands of War

Hacksaw Ridge. Year 1945. A Conscientious Objector ( a person who for reasons of conscience objects to serving in the armed forces), believer of the “Thou Shall Not Harm” commandment runs into the battlefield to provide plasma and morphine to battered soldiers only to find himself right in the middle of heavy artillery strikes and flamethrowers and ricocheting bullets. His weapons include a bagful of medicines, a pocket bible given to him by his wife and the will to save people rather than picking up the gun to kill.

The movie is a stark reminder of the fact that killing in war is not justified just because it has the tag of war. There is saying in Hindi,

“मारने वाले से बचाने वाला बड़ा होता है”

He who shall save someone is a bigger man than the one killing.

The pangs of war are so deep rooted in our society that till day we face the aftermaths. Time heals but it is our self induced sufferings which kill us softly, one moment at a time.

This poem is dedicated to the saviours, the ones who believed in doing good not in the name of defending a nation or saving the war but in the name of humanity and goodwill.

The croaking wall leaps ahead,

One click per unit joy;

The light envelops behind the doors

Opening into the morning red.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

Hitherto concealed in broad daylight,

Marchin’ to their master’s beat,

The soldiers of fortune arise,

Once more to face defeat.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

As the deafening silence sprouts,

The hands that once trembled

Find themselves steady as a stone

For the master wages the final bout.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

Chaos dawns over and

Master Time bows to surrender,

We are the ones who fight

We are the hand.