Still, We Rise

Dr Ranbir Laishram

Ignored by rulers,
shunned by neighbors,
we fight among the ruins—
chaos breathing into order,
order trembling in chaos.
Still, we rise.
Like stars,
like lotus afloat on muddy waters,
we shine through scars.
Still, we rise.

Wrapped in a cocoon,
pierced by restless, broken voices,
we endure.
Cut by hatred,
burned by drugs,
marked by conflict
and the cruelty of man-made laws—
we breathe, we stand.
Still, we rise.

We whisper to the world:
we exist.
Mind and spirit,
woven in quiet strength,
reaching upward,
seeking greater heights for our land.
Still, we rise.

Through pain,
through struggle,
through faith in our spirit—
we bring glory,
we bring honor
to our nation.
Do the rulers
still not see ?