They prayed in churches

They prayed in mosques

They prayed in temples

They prayed in synagogues

 

They identified their God

They took their pick

They  carved separate faiths

To which they would stick

 

They segregated themselves

Condemned those different

Had fights in the name of religion

That God Himself could not prevent

 

As they continued to fight

Over things largely inconsequential

Fate threw them a challenge

Threatening their survival

 

Torrential floods ravaged their town

Damaging life and property 

Those alive feared they would go down

So they prayed to their God fervently

 

The floods washed away differences

Of religion, temporarily at least

The storm had no preferences

In devastation it was a secular beast

 

Stripped down to necessities bare

What emerged was pure humanity

People helped each other everywhere

Rebuilding after the calamity

 

The flood waters receded, the town

Was rebuilt after months several

Once all the inhabitants settled down

They went back to their old squabbles

 

Churches, mosques, temples, synangogues

All were restored to their former glory

Different groups found their own demagogues

To give a religious angle to this story

 

Similar scenarios have played out

Over centuries, again and again

Disasters unite human beings devout

But united they never seem to remain..