Beyond Boundaries: ‘Mera Yakeen Kareen’, an Indian poet’s ode to the children killed in Peshawar school terror attack

The poem ‘Baddua’ reads, ‘Schoolon ghar nu chayeen chayeen paratdey masoom baal; daadi di god, desi ghiyo di choori, amma di akkh de taarey, akhaan da maan; ki mileya tuhanu, baalan diyan khushiyan tey daakey maarke; gallan karde hon jihaad diyaan, jaao jaao zaalmon, tuhanu do zakh vi na hove naseeb.’ (Cheerful children come from school to home, they long for their grandmother’s lap and she cooks food for them in desi ghee. They were their mother’s pride, apple of her eye. What happiness did you get in killing them? Killers, you are not going to get place even in a hell after death).

The other poems in the book also speak about the poet’s experiences during his stay in Pakistan. “The poem ‘Sawaal’ (a question) tells the plight of a child who asks his mother, ‘Will my father return home tonight?’ People in Pakistan were so warm and friendly, and many taxi drivers did not even charge money, seeing my turban. I realized they are going through an ordeal on a daily basis due to terrorism and uncertainty of life,” reflects Singh, adding that the title of the book ‘Mera Yakeen Kareen’, is an effort to convince the readers about what he saw in Pakistan. “I want my countrymen to believe that people in Pakistan are equally in pain due to terrorism and that they should believe what I am telling them through my writings,” he says.

In an another poem titled ‘Main Kyu Naa Kahaan’, poet questions that why he should not say ‘Eid Mubarak’ to people of Pakistan. He says, ‘Sarhad upar raakhi karde jawaan, vadd lai jaande ho siraan nu. Bamb dhamake, Mumbai kaand. Par assi Nanak lewa mannan waale, main kyu na kahaan tainu Eid Mubarak.’ (Our soldiers are killed at the border and incidents like 26/11 happen in Mumbai but we are the Sikhs of Guru Nanak, then why I should not say Eid Mubarak to you).