The Days Before Humans Died

My dreams have become colourless, odourless, tasteless;

My nightmares come in all hues of 
hatred, 
fear, 
grief.


I yearn for the days 
when I did not have to wear saffron 
and detest green 
to live in peace.


I yearn for the days 
when symbols of religion were symbolic, 
and its tenets remained in the collective memories 
of no one in particular, 
while we circumambulated its edifices 
without a discordant thought or fanaticism. 


I wake up to news of 
communal riots, inter-religious skirmishes, deaths, rapes, sacrifices.
But now I do not even flinch. 


I yearn for the days
when the world contained more humans and less gods.