Let there be darkness:
and there was light

Joshua Arulanandham

Conjure up a world without plagues; enter people without infirmities.
With what, then, will you gauge the physician's worth?
Let there be classrooms with no ordinary students, but budding geniuses!
How then shall the teacher's worth be determined?
"They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick."
Imagine a world without hatred, bitterness, shame and guilt.
What, then, would be the purpose of love and forgiveness?
What, do you think, would be the purpose of light-
In a world that is devoid of darkness?

What you have been told, and made to believe, got to be false indeed!
Darkness is not the "enemy" of light;
Nor is "failure" the antonym of "success".
The object of light is not to eliminate darkness,
For,  without darkness there is no such thing as "light".
Take away pain, suffering and failures from life-
Features that let one gauge a person's worth;
All that'll be left is life not worth living!
Let there be darkness: and there will be room for light.

Do you wonder why?

Joshua Aranandham

Do you wonder why -
Man, created in "the very image of God",
Is, after all, not "Godly" at all?!
Do you wonder why -
The nice guy who goes to church commits adultery?
Why your friendly pastor
Becomes a werewolf at night?!
Why your favorite composer of "religious" music
Is also a drunkard?
And, why the saintly celebrity who visits the orphans
Also likes to pose with them for the local paper?
I too wonder,
And if you wonder why I wonder
I'm gonna tell you why!

How come man, who is none other than an animal,
Can exhibit such Godly traits at times?
What makes the selfish man
Display streaks of selflessness, affection and altruism.

How is it that the adulterous man
Could be that nice, church-going guy most of the time?
What makes the rich, self-loving celebrity
Even think of "the least of these", once in a while?
What makes the drunkard compose music
That is beautiful and moving?
And, what is it that makes the werewolf
Be that gentle, caring pastor during the day, anyway?!

It's not the immaculate "Godly man"
That has turned into a monstrous animal.
'Tis the monstrous animal - making brave efforts
To be a man - and, at times, Godly too!
'Tis the selfish, unkind, lustful animal
Working it's way through - to becoming a gentle-man!