MAROONED
Twilight years, contemplate alone,
Home pressing so lonely, empty,
Confined age forces not to venture,
Going out, watching the countryside,
Mesmerizing spreads happiness,
People are joyful busiest moving on,
Crowded milieus shopping malls,
Traveling with family, scenic places,
Tourist places worth watching,
Green hill misty, waterfall, forest,
Winding metal roads, hairpin bend,
Rising to the top of mountains, train hissing,
Slowly curling up like a snake into a tunnel,
Comes out, ice flakes cover windows,
Glistening golden rays of the hillside,
White snows turn to gold, flowing down,
Ending near the valley encircling the lake,
Deep blue, still waters so alluring,
Tourists are welcome, pour invitation,
Come spring, nearer, mirth visible,
Spreading color blossoms brilliant,
Ripen grain standing golden fields,
Swaying in the breeze, a solace to life,
Havocked heavy rain, flooding,
Miserable life, people shifted to shelter,
Floods receded while returning home,
Busy villages restarting life again,
Saw at a young age, enjoyed events,
Experiencing once traveled lot,
Thrilled my heart with rustic beauty,
Smiling children, gossiping rural folks,
Busy village market throng vendors,
Amused in youth hot bargain for good,
From cows, goats, vegetables, corn,
Cooking oil, rice, wheat, salt, spices,
Kitchen essentials, items myriad,
Melts open ground after a few days,
Remember it is time for the festive season,
Approaching preparation needed,
Visit parent’s home, meet kin,
Buying gifts, essential for puja,
Children agog to visit the village,
Dreaming nearby river, alluring greens,
Watch Television sitting alone,
Highlighting memories of my past,
Village scenes after the flood, tourist places,
Telecasting detailed news travel offers,
Shied closed eyes, Scenes floating again,
Never could detect evening arrived,
The world is passing before me slowly,
Nature in a bridal dress, lusty milling crowd,
Flooding city shopping center,
Crowded bus stand, rail station, airport,
People in motion the life in energy,
Moving river of life hypnotic nostalgic,
I switched off television videos emotive,
Sat in darkness felt aware heart seeks,
Soul desirous to mingle in air intense,
Move with sailing clouds gaily,
Western sky orange glow diminishing,
Alerted mind watching birds homing,
Noisy, moving in a cluster, beyond the horizon,
Felt drowsily inclined to chair inert limbs,
However, heart rebellious in protest,
Lustful mind felt marooned,
Culprit wicked time life met an evening,
Smiling to myself, my soul matches,
With homing birds, thought noisy,
Mind created as if marooned feeling,
Unreal, yet dusk was enchanting.
@ Bijayananda Mishra
