HOMELESS

 

HOMELESS

 

Singing my heart happy occasion,

My land escapes morass of slavery,

A millennium exploited life was in chains,

Ancient land rich, prosperous, captured,

Looted, plundered peace, happiness,

Razed thousand temples city burnt,

Converted forcible by the sword, faith,

Mutilated ancient customs practices,

Horror was prowling under Sun and moon,

Alien culture divided society, lifestyle,

Homeless in their own country suffered,

Seven decades after O’ my nation,

Homeless still roaming in streets,

Under blistering Sun, facing cold, severe,

Pouring rain, drenched, shivering,

Lives in the open, street children,

Begging a curse for life reminds us,

Orphans, widows, old citizens insecure,

To the street thrown out, the law fails delayed,

Still, underworlds exist, depriving life,

Snatching property, blackmailing openly,

Homeless migrant laborer, hungry,

The left village, landless, migrating to the city,

Under polythene sheets, life survives sadly,

Landless, villages lost, dams were built,

Industry, cities growing, highways cover,

Forest disappearing, tribal homeless,

Inspires happy occasion watch time,

Dissipates sorrows, poor settled most,

Secure street children, study, grow,

Forget living in the open, begging no more,

Respect homeless feelings, electing ruler,

A rare wealth of humans exercising vote,

Poorest, homeless aspires to big,

Amasses wealth, gets position, prosperity,

Dismantles caste, sin in society,

Leadership achieves by equality existing,

Emancipation of womanhood protected,

No more weal, fearful fighting spirit,

Leading the great country, tribal face,

Salute O’ my nation, I truly believe,

Believe mighty army securing the border,

Massive security spare lives, protect,

Homeless still waiting for a good day for me,

Watch children with tricolors running,

Fluttering national flag over city,

Spreading happiness and confidence visible,

Get now shelters city authority invite,

Social service, free food, health check,

New clothes, rehabilitation moving,

Children find shelter homes, security,

Old citizens were given free lodging, food,

Homeless departed get cremated, with rights,

Social organizations envy people,

Selfless cheap food, free clinic, helps,

The government watches, obliges, helps,

Ah... my life as a homeless person,

Still hoping to get voting rights, identity,

Consoles me, nation waking up,

Cleaning countryside, collecting people,

Bringing transformations, self-sacrifice,

Given to me a tricolor, I am kissing,

Love you, motherland, you are free,

Looking at me now, feel sorrow,

Trying to mingle with billions, borrow,

Borrow hope, courage, strength,

Changes life, diminishing homelessness,

Homeless happened to be a bad dream.

 

@ Bijayananda Mishra

 

SACROSANCT

 

SACROSANCT

 

Wildly mingling with friends, playful,

Intoxicates childhood schooldays,

Abide by our tricolor, we march,

Salute hoisting national flag alert,

Holiday Independence Day, joyous,

March-past over sweets distributed,

Melts crowds school get empty at morning,

Cycling town in a cycle amazed,

Tricolor fluttering at every house,

Generation enjoying freedom,

After a millennium of subjugation,

Forefathers missed this jubilation,

Invaders, kings, colonialists no more,

Vanished from famished land for good,

Self-rule by ordinary people achieved,

Honor freedom fighters who sacrificed life,

Nation gets free children, not in a chain,

Slavery, they dig the grave cremated,

Bonded laborer got their land in disbelief,

The landlord lost the property of commoners,

Vanished collecting royalty total,

Kingdoms king queen subject irreverent,

Citizens of big country equal,

Without discrimination, caste, creed,

Equal rights for all faith, language region,

Watching paradigm changes,

Impossible yesteryears, visible, reality,

Promised to serve our country,

Growing soon into the youth of a nation,

Vowing to dismantle caste system practice,

Witness harmony and amity among faith,

Youth united got educated working,

Left out remote villages, illiteracy hunting,

Poverty, sickness, school dropping,

Land missed freedom development,

Decades after decades, poor villagers looked,

Hoped consoling freedom achieved,

Expecting poverty illiteracy buried,

Females behind veil evil practice dropped,

Sighs at twilight years, seventy years,

Saw freedom, democracy, our independence,

Still, girls drop school en-mass,

Early marriage is prevalent, illiteracy exists,

Female of our land still in a chain,

Custom culture vice, tightly roped,

Decent living, self-respect, independent,

Dream far off vision tribal women,

Lower caste some faiths bear the shame,

Females of the land still waiting,

Brighter days, the freedom offered, study,

Educated, decide their life, happy,

Laborers leaving villages with no work, landless,

Flies for cotton jute mills industries,

Construction cities, highways, farmlands,

Engages at a pittance, just survive,

Life in the struggle for getting freedom,

Dream of settled life, food, shelter, cloth,

Boasting megapolis educated rich,

Leaders of country singing democracy,

Voters truly God, decide ruler first,

Forget upper both houses fight bitter,

Not to serve people, serving party,

Serving self, family, predominant notion,

Serve people, I touch Bible, Gita, Quran,

Serve, I hold the constitution sacred,

Dedicate my life to the service of the nation,

Golden time observes ordinary citizens,

O,’ house-of-law give us your life,

Selfless, no personal benefit, duty,

Forget family, community faith,

Now dedicate my life to the people,

I vow it is sacrosanct.

Both houses are adjourned, empty chairs silent.

 

@ Bijayananda Mishra

IN SILENCE

 IN SILENCE

 

Mesmerizing moment earth spinning,

Life of nation changes prosper rolling,

Pervades peace n spreads happiness,

Generation after generation realizes,

Freedom of life democracy touching,

Freedoms are precious after millennia,

Overwhelms a people, amazes the world,

Bewilder world arena vast plurality,

Coexistence cemented realized deep,

Languages, culture, and lifestyles vary,

Ancient famous literature, art, and crafts,

Festive period colorful dance songs,

Length and breadth of the land mingle,

Intermixes for centuries civilization one,

From the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean,

Connects people east and west intense,

Spider web of road, railways, skies,

Traffic busiest big nation moves,

Prosperity wealth sharing illuminates,

Rising industry, education hub, hospitals,

Agriculture, bountiful as never before,

Children youth hopeful dream of paradise,

Wonderfully cities cropping up visualize,

Rustic villages, cartwheels, kerosene lamps,

Muddy roads, underdeveloped, illiterate,

The picture after independence vanished,

Megapolis highrise towers light at night,

An unknown world before a generation,

Born before independence fascinated,

Independent nation, mighty to protect,

Influence later generation youth shines,

Spreading worldwide, impressive,

Settling in different countries, happy,

The golden age of India is remembered,

Praying whole nation, its usher,

Fluttering tricolor independence proud,

Celebrates a billion people decades after,

Metamorphose lifestyle, most modern,

The digital age, blue energy in the offing,

Mindboggling communication contact,

Invention revolutionizes life and its meaning,

Born after independence, I watch earnestly,

Behold changing children, youth girls,

Self-confidence unseen our time in spirit,

Building vast country disbelieves a time,

Twilight years, the fading sun of my time,

Tearful thinks about Indians of the past,

Fought, sacrificed their life, achieved,

Got independence, their children secure,

They pay gratitude, honor, sing fiery,

Overwhelms countryside rural scenes,

Rich, phenomenal growth, peasants feel,

Changes in digital lifestyle gadgets status,

Tricolor seventy-five years old preserved,

I keep it touching my bosom and sit in silence,

May precious freedom never be lost,

Glorious future land emancipation of women,

I prayed in silence,

Hindustan stays and feels blessed.

 

@ Bijayananda Mishra

 

SERENITY

 

SERENITY

 

A couple of flowers in one branch,

Shines budding youth, happy,

Brother to only younger sister,

Siblings, dearest to parent, close,

Affection for my sister, observing,

Inspected throughout childhood,

Pick up her sad face, hiding rarely,

Running after her, often caught the cause,

Her smiles, playful, joke my treasure,

Incomparable to a gem, pearl of smiling tears,

Shared our hurt, secret worries, fear,

Confident, she never leaked to our parents,

Mischief she committed behind mom,

Confides to me at a secluded place at home,

She trusts her brother will never disclose,

Visiting cinema with friends secretly,

Her studies, difficulty in subjects,

Helped her, explaining in detail,

I was her teacher, closest friend, solace,

The unfortunate result after the exam, rebuttal,

Inclining to me gives vent to frustrations,

Gets sober after my consolations,

Looking trustfully, embracing closest,

Promises to achieve the best result next time,

She watched closely my college days, study,

Supplies tea in the afternoon, late at night,

Both share tasty mixtures, snacks,

Gossiping endless, her friends, fun, teacher,

Enquires places, people, culture, customs,

Parent laughs at us, happy about our closeness,

She grew up watched, silent, docile,

Less talkative, fun, kept aloof always,

I pulled her, tease, she now says,

Minutely observe my dress, book, papers,

Irons clothing polishes shoes, and gets angry,

Pleads to be well-shaven, polite, decent,

Maintain my table, everything in the notice,

Her silent work, I know, day n night,

Rarely ask me for her necessities, her likes,

I purchase to handover soon, to ability,

Parents never could know our friendship,

A day came; I left home for college,

Devastated, missing my sister, her help,

Get scolding, sad letters in the absence,

Moving life faster season changing,

Fascinating her youth demeanors of her mom,

Refined, educated, preferred family life,

Her day of marriage function milestone,

Moving, parents are busy arranging her dress,

Her belonging, ornament, suitcases,

Mom was arranging meticulously,

Her husband in a top job, known family,

The function ended, the time came,

Left her home to the house of her in-laws,

Mom was crying, dad with tears,

She was silent, hugged me, was crying,

Asked me, you come with me?

I accompanied her to her home,

Decades rolled like the cartwheel,

Life distance between us, our family,

Yearly get a Rakhi, sweets I use to send,

The symbol of trust of the sister to brother,

Unique relationship, divine, nourishing,

Great satisfaction at her sight with saree,

Possessively enquiring about my health, intense,

I bless her married life, praying Lord,

Bemused, hold her closer, smiling,

 And feel the serenity, most precious to me,

Brotherly love seems for eternity.

 

@ Bijayananda Mishra

MAGNANIMOUS

 

MAGNANIMOUS

 

Remembering childhood, naughty,

Never could find how mischievous,

Demanding only contact was Ma,

Angry now and then, fight with her,

Dawn breaks, sleeping soundly, alarmed,

Mother was shouting school time,

Angrily from the start, search for breakfast,

Cried often missing the dish I liked,

Forgets water bottle, called back,

Homework, notebooks she watching,

Found unanswered questions, notes,

Shout at me, furious, threat to inform,

Inform dad of punishment waiting,

Life was tearful, crying before her,

Forgive mom this mistake complete today,

On return, soiled dressed, bruised,

Forcibly washed, ointment on a scar,

Sleep out home in cycle with friends,

Pleasure drive to park, bazaar, fields,

Out of town, a forest, hill tracks, tricked,

Friend circle gets picnic, miss homework,

Result day feared a black day, threatening,

Most scrutinizing, mom was sad and silent,

A day so torturous for me, promise her,

Forgive Ma, this time, shall do better,

Demand new dress on puja, pen, notebook,

Pen and notebook were given minus dress,

How many occasions did I fast run to the road,

Mom was sitting at the door without lunch,

I tore her saree and threw toys, costly items,

Angry, my parent willfully left me at home,

Later I used to find out about their visits,

To market, films, relatives’ house,

I made her life so miserable then,

Mom fails to comfort me, knowing her false promises,

Threatened repeatedly to run from home,

Threw dinner to the road, slept hungrily,

Tormented her unending got what I wanted,

For higher education, she sold her ornament,

I left for college, rarely replying to her letter,

Now I understand I was worrisome,

I succeeded in life with bright results, merit,

Lucrative post, high salary, affluence,

Busy day and night, dream career, promo,

Hardly find time to visit home, missing ma,

Luxury, comfort in life I desired earnestly,

Floored before me, I am tired of dreaming,

Best dresses, tasty cushiness, gadgets,

Costly, does not matter, I could spend,

Happy today, satisfied with life in luxury,

Honor for qualification experience,

Discovered today a letter from ma,

She wrote, sick these days, got weaker,

Plundering my childhood in thoughts,

Streaming continuously, my mischief,

Her love, care, immortal, divine, touching,

Shaken innermost fibers and nerves, I was crying,

Ma, forgive me for forgetting you,

My carrier, assets, gadget, luxurious life,

Blinded O’ ma, me for long, I neglected,

Age is telling upon you, nothing else,

How many fasts, torn cloths, selling bangles,

Poverty hunted you mercilessly, ignored,

Ignored your comfort, happiness,

I was your dream, Ma, your prayer to God,

Today you succeed in growing your son,

Fit to face this harsh world, handsome,

Everything of success in life, I owe to you,

Packing for home, recounting you,

Ma, your magnificence, was uttering silently,

Your existence for me is only magnanimous.

 

@ Bijayananda Mishra