The Lost Poetry of Sikh Poet Nunihal Singh Layal: How Evil Enters In Society

(Editor’s Note: This is part of an ongoing series to preserve on the Internet the “lost” poetry of Nunihal Singh Layal, the “Tradesman Poet,” who I met in New Delhi in 1974. Some poems contain his original introductions. I have a self-published book of his that is disintegrating and falling apart and over the next year or two I will run and preserve all of his poetry here. Joe Gandelman)

How Evil Enters in Society
by Nunihal Singh Layal

How evil creeps into society. The psychological process of its coming is described here. The bad habits, or activities, should be nipped in the very bud. This is the right way.

If evil in the start, is not boldly hooted and hated,
It persists and becomes tolerated;
When tolerated, it is accommodated,
Accepted and acted;
Thus society is spoiled and corrupted.
Habits once are formed
Are difficult to reform;
Then why not to form,
Good habits every eve and morn?