A Prayer for Anna

Today at work I got a call from Tracy. One of her classmates from the Leadership Academy is going through trying times with his little girl who needs lot of medical attention. She mentioned that there is a benefit concert at a local club called Hi-tone for the little girl Anna and asked if we would be going. I don't know her, I met her dad Zach twice or thrice at different Academy gatherings.

But I am glad that we did. A little prayer can go a long way. There was huge turnout and the bands played beautifully. There was different emotion flowing and there were tear-jerking moments. Standing inside the crowded club, this is what I wrote in prayer for this girl

Tonight the hi-tone resonates
the hope of all wishers -
The music traverses and takes
our collective prayers.
May the spirit of this crowd
bring in a heavenly boon,
Let the little girl
be cured very soon.

We suffer, we feel the pain
Let not this effort go in vain.
As the music wanes into the night
Lord give her the courage to fight.
A day we each here will gladly give
But Lord let little Anna have a long life.

© 2009 Sanjoy Haldar

On this Deepavali Night

Let the Festival of Light
remove all darkness from the soul –
each individual’s and collective mankind’s.

Let the Radiant illumine the mind
with power to dream, will to change
and resolve to do what’s right.

Let the light nourish the body,
to fight demons inside and out,
to stand up against all plight.

Let even the smallest diya bring
warmth of the thousand suns to a grieving soul
or that wretched shivering in the cold.

Let the array of lamps lit the way
to health and happiness,
to peace and prosperity.

Let on this very Deepavali night 

and always,
be in the light, be that LIGHT –
be a ray of hope to those astray.

This is my prayer for you and me!

Note: In the spirit of full disclosure, this prayer is  influenced by preaching of Swami Vivekananda.

© 2008 Sanjoy Haldar