Poem Maker
By Leona Smith Kremser
Summary
"Poem Maker" by Leona Smith Kremser is a brief devotional poem that honours Jina Aristanemi (the twenty‑second Tirthankara in Jainism) as the divine poet whose words inspire compassion and non‑violence. The poet implores the readers to let the poem be crafted by the Jina himself and to allow his sacred, golden scriptural words to guide their lives. She imagines a dawn of benevolence in which animals raised for food awaken to a world free from slaughter. She prays that knives and fangs will cease to pursue innocent creatures and that all living beings will embrace ahimsa (non‑injury). Under the protective hand of the holy Jina, the poet asks that this ideal of universal non‑violence prevail for all time. Through simple language and evocative imagery, the poem conveys the aspiration that humanity will move away from violence and embrace compassion, reflecting core Jain values.
Conclusion
Kremser’s poem distils the Jain ideal of ahimsa into a lyrical prayer. By portraying Jina Aristanemi as the poet‑maker whose words can transform hearts, the poem calls for a world where animals are not sacrificed and all beings live in harmony. Its gentle verses remind readers that spiritual awakening requires compassion toward all creatures and that the teachings of the Tirthankaras offer a timeless guide for ethical living.