A Promise to eradicate
Illiteracy


The dark veil of flowing illiteracy,
As a canopy on our growing democracy;
Covers many crores of our great lot,
Under which teeming with ignorance, rot.

Unaware of the goings on around,
Stark illiteracy with poverty bound;
The window of the wide world is shut,
And the kaleidoscopic view of the panorama is cut.

The spiritual and intellectual devolpment,
Not sparked off by literary involvement,
Is a curse on the person and the nation,
As multitudes live like animals sans education.

Seized of the problem, in many a country,
UNESCO launched a war on illiteracy;
Allocating funds, the malady to cure,
With India taking the cudgel, very sure.

To kindle the dawn of consciousness,
Of the need of literacy's importance;
A programme of National Adult Education,
Is on the anvil with much ovation.

Of all the state birds flying in thirst,
Kerala's bird has landed first;
With Ernakulam carrying the flag high,
Inducing others their flight to stage by!

Let us scouts now make out a promise,
A multi-pronged attack without a miss-
To launch on 'illiteracy'-the monster dreadful,
With a spirit of commitment and hearts so full.

chandra thiagarajan

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-promise-to-eradicate-illiteracy/