Sometimes in the dark of the night, I visit my conscience

Sometimes in the dark of the night,
I visit my conscience  
To see if it is still breathing,
For its dying a slow death
Every day.

When I pay for a meal in a fancy place
An amount which is perhaps the monthly income 
Of the guard who holds the door open.
And quickly I shrug away that thought,
It dies a little.

When I buy vegetables from the vendor, 
And his son "chhotu" smilingly weighs the potatoes,
Chhotu, a small child, who should be studying at school.
I look the other way
It dies a little.

When I am decked up in a designer dress,
A dress that cost a bomb 
And I see a woman at the crossing,
In tatters, trying unsuccessfully to save her dignity. 
And I immediately roll up my window.
It dies a little. 

When I buy expensive gifts for my children, 
On return, I see half-clad children, 
With empty stomach and hungry eyes, 
Selling toys at the red light.
I try to save my conscience by buying some, yet
It dies a little. 

When my sick maid sends her daughter to work, 
Making her bunk school 
I know I should tell her to go back. 
But I look at the loaded sink and dirty dishes, 
And I tell myself that is just for a couple of days 
It dies a little. 

When I hear about a rape
or the murder of a child,
I feel sad, yet a little thankful that it's not my child
I can not look at myself in the mirror,
It dies a little. 

When people fight over caste creed and religion
I feel hurt and helpless
I tell myself that my country is going to the dogs,
I blame the corrupt politicians, 
Absolving myself of all responsibilities 
It dies a little. 

When my city is choked
Breathing is dangerous in the smog-ridden metropolis,
I take my car to work daily,
Not taking the metro, not trying carpool. 
One car won't make a difference, I think 
It dies a little. 

So when in the dark of the night,
I visit my conscience 
And find it still breathing 
I am surprised. 
For, with my own hands 
Daily, bit by bit, I kill it, I bury it.

         Author: Unknown

Note: Lately this poem has been credited to Late Ram Jethmalani