SANCTIMONIOUS

 

SANCTIMONIOUS

 

 

In the dead of night got awakened alert,

Dream sorrowful frightened nerves,

Shaken my heart sweating profusely,

Comfortably sleeping on my bed,

Concrete roof two-storied home safe,

Decorated sweet home is lifelong,

The teakwood doors shone in a lock,

Polished wall-painted glows light amber,

Teakwood cot cotton costly mattresses,

Air-conditioned my bedroom a luxury,

I had dinner, bread-butter, juice, and curry,

Satiated cruel taste buds not disturbing,

Warm milk at bed medicines for health,

Tired eyes desperate to sleep quietly,

Wishing to switch off light rest cozy,

Bit disgusted, disturbed at this hour,

Barks dog on rare occasions intrudes noise,

The wee hours hope a dawn breaks,

Yawn after yawn, drowsy frame melts,

Loses senses within a warm blanket,

Thank my luck, graceful fate, fortunate,

Bit selfish, wished to live for eons lustily,

Mobile phone rings, get awake again,

Alarms wake me up got up angrily,

Yes, a meeting a thousand miles away,

 I have to catch the flight pick up ready,

Run, run fast to each comfort needs money,

Swindle a fortune by talking posture, magnet,

Captivate, steal money bags by discourse,

A highlight will be tomorrow's news flash,

 The big and famous charismatic face smiles,

Auburn hair wavy, tiepin jaded crisp,

Polished attire accent aristocratic,

Owed listeners stunned silent salute,

Amazing life established skewed up rise,

I must thank God gave this heart,

To aspire to unthinkable sizzles reality!

A siren sounded in the street loudly,

Worth watching my angry face cruel,

Blocks this ambulance people drive,

Loses flight to distinguished men sadly,

The disturbed night morn is hastily over,

My speeding car moves winding flyovers,

Halt, please halt, order my cab,

The man is sitting on the road sick,

Dirty torn cloth, grown-up beards,

Eyes sunken miserable face so sad,

Inclined to the wall, just fainting visible,

A young lady carefully touching him,

Helping him with some food and water,

I was shocked, recognized the person,

Once, my boss won a business empire,

The wealthiest person in the city, famous,

I lost track of him in my busy life for years,

Only for him what I am today accomplished,

Talked to the lady and thanked her a lot,

Canceled my trip, took him to the hospital,

A doctor is treating him as sick, malnourished,

Safe is he, can recover in weeks,

I admitted him, paid the dues in advance,

Twilight time back home feels drowsy,

This home, comfortable bed, and a safe,

Felt sanctimonious, so temporal, even lost!

 

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Title of Poem: Sanctimonious

Theme: A sight aroused soul, sanctimonious

Date: 25th November 2022, Cuttack

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GOD

 

GOD

 

Remember my childhood clearly,

Never could know my parents,

Only when got aware of roving in streets,

A dirty torn shirt and pant wears,

Passerby, if a kind-hearted person,

Offers a few coins or a morsel,

Got leftover food fights dog often,

Days were between dawn and dusk,

Tied limbs spread leisurely to watch night,

The silence was so mysterious and lonely,

The story of my childhood continued,

A woman at the railway station I saw,

Begged her at the platform she called,

Sat with me on a bench, gave food,

Asked me to accompany her I agreed,

She took me her home, washed,

Gave dress, a mat to sleep on that night,

Slept for an eon bone tired, disbelieved,

Why I didn't know felt like crying in sobs,

Undeniable noticed heat wreathing,

Shivered body tender remain awake,

I was thinking when dawn breaks,

The lady certainly drive me out,

The dawn madam took me to a boarding,

Many children were staying, reading,

The guardian admitted me to a school,

Never I had to pay dues, madam paid,

I have never seen her later but grew up,

The unseen God now I believe much,

Not in the temple but the lady I saw,

Only once I met stayed at her home,

Decades after still, I have not forgotten,

Her face, demeanor, voice, and touch,

Etched in heart, not temporal, exists,

She preferred anonymous, sadly,

I could not get her home address,

The boarding school told me this,

She was on travel found me helped,

Completed my graduation, got a job,

Got the means to live alone,

Decent to my views, beyond dreams,

So real but got promoted to status,

I prayed Lord now and then,

My only aspiration is to meet her once,

Days rolled to months, years to pain,

An authority to issue a certificate is the job,

I am passing a busy life in the office,

Issue residence certificates to the public,

Verify details of persons, property,

One day I found a lady quite aged,

Standing with the application in front,

Accepted her form and read quietly,

Looked to question got stunned,

Doubted her face recognized then,

Auburn hairs had grown white, decent,

Wrinkled beautiful face, a red dot,

The eyes and eyebrows unfailing the same,

I dashed to her feet respectfully, touched,

Gasping, called her Ma. I found my God.

 

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Title of Poem: God

Theme: God is human; Fiction

Date: 24th November 2022, Cuttack

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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

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AESTHETIC

 

AESTHETIC

 

 

Stigmatized life scarcely I watch,

Never felt my open heart is brutal,

Fact loving emotionless, I argue,

Beliefs mind collaborates with reality,

That I see observed and noticed deeds,

Watch the consequences opine openly,

Rebellious my heart, to desist from,

Keep silent, foremost behavior I hear,

Know hypocrisy lies sugar-coated,

Trying a few to represent the truth,

Understand well willfully blind views,

Self-interest plays innocent benevolence,

My attitude today cumulative pays,

Unsocial tags separate from friends,

Observe festive events, ceremonies met,

Less I found friends hug, greet even,

Walks away from me I approach,

Never could see a smile while meeting,

Uninvited among relatives, friends,

Lonely life picture I shrink by a mirror,

Think at times to change totally,

Opt out of telling factual the truth,

Accept truth is bitter that bites hurt,

Attempt to humiliate, friends gossip,

Lies duly enjoyed by mates encourage,

Stories figments of imagination portray,

Listen to friends eagerly, never tell me,

Pleasant time passes soon, life forgets,

Left only companionship memorable,

The truth of the matter is less important,

The smiles, jokes, and laughter linger long,

Intrusion in the middle fact is a disaster,

Change, change your lifestyle, be polite,

I realized the fun of friendship is prime,

Friendship is built friend misses soon,

The lifelong heart seeks memory lane,

It was a gradual self-effort to mend attitude,

learned to smile at boasting rumors,

Apparently, enjoying the talk laugh now,

Gossip fiction as real-life experiences,

They listen to stories with rapt attention,

It brings thrilling events into pleasure,

The story is not the point closeness is warm,

Shares youth, his bruised heart healed,

Little important fact or fiction to matter,

More is sharing happiness, laughter,

Gathering bonhomie intimacy thick,

Warm greetings and hugging get automatic,

Talk of endless gossip inquiry proxy,

I did enjoyed get back to my friends,

They tagged me now aesthetic humor,

Noted a paradigm change occurred,

Now I feel friendship is prime help,

Stabilizes life outlet to share owes,

The loneliness and curse life faced, I knew,

An accident changed me totally,

Survived from fatal incident confined,

Feared once the end nearer depressed,

Ever dawn that was breaking knocking,

Knocking on the doorbell, friends visit,

Now I knew the aesthetic sense the warmth,

Their presence erased the horror,

They tell rumors of early recovery,

I found in their heart only care and love,

The aesthetic beauty of their friendship,

Brought tears immensely happy,

Quietly healing effect after they quit!

 

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Title of Poem: Aesthetic

Theme: Aesthetic behavior

Date: 22nd November 2022, Cuttack

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SATIRE

 

SATIRE

 

 

Life of a rickshaw puller yet graceful,

A small cottage thatched roof was built,

Wall with clay and bricks cleaned,

Polished with mud cow dung lovely,

Red soils coated the walls beautifully,

Chalk paintings decorate the front balcony,

Earthen oven wood fire its warmth,

Charcoal bunt potatoes and eggplant,

Mixed with onion and tamarind,

Added a few mustard oils, the menu,

Boiled rice cooked then with water,

Prepared to be sour with curd and salt,

Chilly, onion, salt, dried sour mango,

The paste is a sweetener for taste buds,

Fried tiny fish with mustard paste,

Burned in charcoal burning simmer,

The meal is our lunch and dinner best,

Kerosene lamp lantern very convenient,

A torch, an umbrella, and a radio,

Margosa tree behind our house,

The twigs are the best toothbrush,

With charcoal powder for family,

My wife is a domestic servant to a neighbor,

A cloth merchant three-storied building,

Immeasurable wealth, large family,

Busy people, very rich, we found,

Under their shed living in peace,

I take their children to school on time,

Kids love me, call me uncle, and make fun.

We couple get monthly salary well,

My wife sweeps the floor, cleans utensils,

My two sons read at primary school,

My life family is happy and contented,

My rickshaw is my lifeline, survival,

In the big city, every morsel of food paid for,

Manages my family life, kids studying,

Mending poor lives is honestly joyous,

We feast happily on the straw mat,

Sleep on the floor on these straw mats,

A few cotton blankets, thick sheets,

A few cotton pillows with cover clean,

A tube well at the backyard toilet,

Marked our neighbor as rich, unhappy,

Fighting over property all day,

Their mother is quite old and often cries,

With all ornaments, the property is sad,

Sick because of miserable life visible,

Intolerable for us, sadly watch tears,

Alone in a big room teakwood cot,

She sleeps on the floor mat her habit,

One day gave us a bundle of currency,

Requested to keep it secret totally,

A few weeks after my wife gets angry,

Demanded gold chain a saree urgently,

Speechless  looked at her surprised,

It was not her nature but corrupted,

I discovered satires life eludes this way,

A simple bundle of currency changes,

The satire I found to the reason,

The root of the unhappiness of our mistress,

That plundered our family peace!

 

Title of the Poem: Satire

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Theme: Money satire of human life

Date: 19th November 2022, Cuttack.

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RIVERBANKS

 

RIVERBANKS

 

 

Bends the river near the village,

Grew at the side knew so well,

Love my heart at every dawn her sight,

The sun rises at the other shores,

Blue waters in the autumn gain hues,

A surreal but unearthly view of orange,

Wakes up at the ringing bells  in the road,

Cow herds living in cattle sheds are moving,

Announces naughty hen on a rooftop,

Get up quickly, morning wait eagerly,

Margosa sticks charcoal toothpaste brush,

A glass bottle of mustard oil before bath,

Getting fresh with cold water refreshes,

Elders accompany children,

Visible her scenery boats plying,

From school watch, fishermen sailing,

Throw nets catch fish worth watching,

Visits to the riverbank picnic many,

Understands her furry in flood fiery,

Fund of the river peasant flood water,

Vegetation at both riverbanks scenic,

Wonderful is to walk in these fields,

 On a moonlit night, the shore experiences electric,

Pervading song of flute from another side,

Many times returns to the village,

Nighttime full moon night river changed,

The sight resembles a dream silvery,

Use to sit in the boat and forgets everything,

The thick fog settles on rare occasions,

Visible moon, the river vanishes,

Unearthly state  the dark water lucent,

Mist surrounds the boat, invisible shores,

Contemplate me how magical,

The river that captured my mind is the same,

Where it begins, where it ends, not known,

The sight of the riverbank is a picture frame,

The background behind my life that grew,

Homesick, revisit the village sight,

Settles dusk, crimson the setting sun,

The dust cloud behind cowherds aural,

Speechless in my twilight years,

Life passed at the riverbank reminisce,

From childhood, God is the river, exists,

Gives bountiful crops and water plenty,

The fishery that changes poor man's plate,

Most nourishing, tasty delicacies favorite,

At this age, I stand alone at a riverbank,

The dust screen at evening bells ring,

Orange-red river water riverbank in the aura,

A heavenly angel, luminous pristine water,

Comparable to the life of  a woman divine,

Sustains beautifies two families, unique,

Both families resemble riverbanks,

Without riverbanks, the river loses meaning,

A married woman without both families,

Loses the significance of the life it nurtures,

Parents' family and in-laws linking,

The service a female provides to both,

Her presence as an angelic river flows,

With all serenity helps growth divine,

Her selfless sacrifices are innumerable,

Equalized to benefits of the river subtle,

Parallel riverbanks never meet,

Links the river flowing like a bride.

 

Title of Poem: Riverbanks

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Theme: Life of a bride

             equally links riverbanks

Date: 18th November 2022, Cuttack

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