WHERE HAVE THOSE WHO WATCHED GONE? (Rasamindrakotroka Andry Tiana)

Where have those who once stood watch now gone,
The steadfast voices we relied upon?
All seems to fade, all slowly comes undone,
And hollow winds replace what once was strong.

Where are the builders—where have they all gone,
As walls collapse and guiding lights are gone?
The ground gives way, the lakes begin to dry,
And hearts grow still beneath a burdened sky.

Where are the minds that saw beyond the night,
Who held their course and kept the future bright?
No one remains to guard the open plain,
And nature bears the weight of all our pain.

Where are the souls who gave this nation breath,
Who stood for meaning stronger still than death?
The riches fade, the hungry are left bare,
And quiet sorrow settles everywhere.

Where are the elders, voices firm and clear,
Who taught with strength and shaped our yesteryear?
The parents speak—but few will truly hear,
And through our hands, the nation draws too near.

Awaken now, before it slips away,
Do not let silence steal what we betray;
For even kings will fall who fail to stand,
When duty calls, yet fear restrains the hand.

Let us arise while time is still our own,
And guard this land we have too long outgrown;
For what we lose through silence and delay
May never find its living form again.

RASAMINDRAKOTROKA Andry Tiana
25 July 2025
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