BEWITCHED

 

BEWITCHED

 

Besieged the village by remoteness,

Nature, thick forest rock landscape,

Surrounds from all sides isolate totally,

As a teacher, I decided to stay here,

Loved the village kids, an image of God,

Un-spoilt urban life less penetrated,

Simple, loving people, most illiterate,

Peasants, by profession, accept life,

Unaware of urban aspirations, dreams,

Singly clothe on the waist a cotton towel,

Turban or at shoulder covers well,

Perennial harvesting kids get busy,

Play the rest of the year in a forest at a river,

Opened a primary school I joined,

A room concrete built for twenty students,

A few are girls rest boys studying,

Happy villagers with me, live here,

Chosen my life to teach children,

Lives alone in that room comfortably,

Cook my food writing when free,

Life would have been far better,

The lush green forest nature attracts,

Mountainous hills surround exotic life,

Seclusion separated from pollution,

Fresh air, clean waters, fountain cool,

A marshy pool birds paradise wonderful,

I watch sitting among students enjoy,

Tell them stories birds transmigrate,

Warm waters attract continental birds,

Cows buffalos bathe in calm waters,

Variety of flowers lotus spreads shores,

Lotus pond is known far and wide,

No communication with the village exists,

I find my world within the world,

Separate heavenly peace, happiness,

That struck me sickness visits often,

Lacks complete medical facility,

No communication to the city a path,

Trodden by villagers for miles sick,

Watch a wooden bed being carried,

Pregnant women are sick, need service,

Fortunately, I saw a doctor came,

Open a dispensary medical center,

Build a two-room house, start treating,

The state financed the young doctor,

Patients find him, perhaps saves God,

Dying patients get treatment to survive,

We got friendly, closely appreciated,

The venture was unique, unfolded,

One night I heard bitter cries loudly,

Ran outside, a female being carried,

Pregnant, sick, subconscious, moaning,

A few women were taking her,

I went to the medical center and saw,

The doctor connected saline to her,

She was injected with medicine,

The doctor agreed to stay with him,

He was sitting at her bedside,

Alert measuring her by stethoscope,

Breaks the dawn, he called females,

I came out of the room wait patiently,

A sudden cry disturbed the silence,

A baby is born doctor helped delivery,

It was a safe delivery mother is safe,

In the apron doctor came out smiling,

Held the baby in bosom declared,

A girl is born in good shape, crying,

I saw poor villagers smiling,

Lovingly looked at her, the baby is bright,

I felt a trickle of tears in my eyes,

Bewitched at her eyes, I held her.

 

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Title of Poem: Bewitched

Themes: born a baby girl in a remote village

Date: 23rd November 2022, Cuttack

@ Copywrite