At Half-mast

This lay dormant for long within me and I let it be--too raw to put a finger on--lest it come out too loud! A mention of national sentiment today was trigger enough to have me pour it all out... This 15th August I happened to witness the flag hoisting 'ceremony' at my college. 'Happened to' here needs an add on--I refrain from attending such 'ceremonials' for, they might get to be too much--It's certainly not the case that I am less of a patriot (if we can call people today, that). I do have a respectable amount of feelings for my country. And too much it got to be! Our dear tricolor being hoisted at half mast. No prize for guessing, too overtaken to react, I just walked off, steeped in disgust--"how could they! The college dean, the professors..." Walk off I did, touchy and moody till the sparks subsided. Time's a great salve indeed! In retrospect, it seems quite appropriate in today's scenario--the hoisting at half mast I mean. Mourning it is, yes, a national mourning for the crippled and dying freedom, for umpteen deaths--of a nation, of dreams, ideals, principles--oh! let me not list it all; spare them our wrath we should, for, they were mere pawns in the play of irony--the Dean, the professors and all. All I would say in the end is, "where ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise". Thanks Gray! for your genius.