JAGGERY

 

JAGGERY

 

 

It was my childhood wildness,

Uncontrolled mind in mischief,

Slipped out of the home play at fields,

A group of boys ran for sugar cane,

Long stems leafy fields near village,

Beneath a cauldron, firewood burning,

Juices of sugarcane boiling hot,

Brown thick liquids decanted into a pot,

Iron flatbed pot getting full condensed,

Peasants were preparing molasses,

Pour into flat-bottom iron pots in rows,

Jaggery prepared from molasses solid,

Beg for small pieces return home,

Farmers smiling offer us handfuls,

Remember I share with my sister,

She was the eldest child of our parents,

Ten years older than me, loving,

I was in school, she attended college,

Our friendship was closest, bond sweet,

I was loving and obeyed her only,

Hoodwinked mom, feared dad,

Sister was my home teacher best,

Taught my homework on the table,

I shared jaggery pieces she stored,

Answered correctly, jaggery piece, bonus,

My good result was due to her effort,

She washed my clothes, ironed,

Polished my boots every day,

Combed my hair notebook in my bag,

In order arranged with book n pen,

Pencil pointed, rubber, geometry box,

I passed first division in school,

Sister gave me a jaggery piece saved,

Parents never could know our secret,

I joined the  college, walked together,

Sister was helping mom with cooking,

Washing dad's dress was ironing,

She was keeping house expenses,

With dad marketed for vegetables,

Purchased monthly groceries, listing,

Less knew she was managing our home,

Apple eyes of Dad, mom depending,

She was pivotal in our life, caring,

Her immaculate attention to all,

Served Dad when sick his medicine,

She was our doctor, nurse, watchful,

Consult with a doctor to buy medicine,

Parents handed over responsibility,

Bed news one day I heard, surprised,

Sister was crying silently alone,

Astonished, never saw her crying,

I hugged her tightly and enquired,

I sobbed, and she closed my mouth,

Confided with me she  was marrying,

 The parent fixed her marriage date,

Without consulting her chosen bridegroom,

An engineer abroad dad finalized,

She cherished the day, her degree,

Expecting gold medal best graduate,

Her dream was to be an administrator,

Decades after we both kept our bond,

Secret her agony cherished dream,

I fulfilled her wish, became one,

From overseas got a packet of jaggery,

A daughter for dad kept him happy.

 

@ Bijayananda Mishra