UNFORGETTABLE

 

UNFORGETTABLE

 Childhood witness fluid character,

Memories, much forgotten sweeter,

Astonished still remember grandma,

Etched in memories floods at times,

Quiet mind sits silently, contemplate,

How closely I was to her bemused,

Charisma, I have seen in parents,

But the sheer love adoringly caresses,

Consolation, her attempt succeeds,

Defeats childhood anger groundless,

Unyielding mom's requests get angry,

Usual attempt to fast stubborn flees,

Mom runs after me, exhausted, sits,

Holding her head with palms look,

Her silence warns me of dad's beating,

Ultimate is a weapon to defeat by crying,

Laughs at myself, ashamed of the act,

So much anger sheathing visible,

All drama automatic in fear of dad,

Get successful, snatches victory,

Victory over mom, dad prefers silence,

Warns grandmother both sternly,

They accuse grandma pampered me,

Express their helplessness often, my fort,

My fort was Grandma's lap, recluse,

She knows all naughtiness support,

Loudly say in my favor always,

Assured of safety, hide my face,

Undoubtedly she hugs me patronage,

My constant harbor if in pain, troubles,

Childhood unexplained fears hunt,

Fever, weakness, vomiting, wounds,

She is only allowed to be near me,

Close to her, I cry with pain sleep,

Her warm palm on my forehead,

Much later, I adored the touch dearly,

Why I feel so comfortable is a mystery,

In family Grandma's presence in my heart,

The soft feeling, if experienced only by her,

Never saw her in life till her last day,

She quit, and it was kept a secret from me,

Never faced beating, anger, scolding,

Her sweet talks remain unique lingers,

Confess I disobeyed dad and mom,

Never could bypass her advice,

It never comes like warnings but request,

My effort was to obey wholeheartedly,

One condition that I couldn't tolerate,

Making her unhappy was impossible,

Dad was surprised by the hold Grandma got,

Made me much more disciplined, sober,

Taught politeness I followed till today,

Learned her soft voice chosen words,

Conquered heart of people tasting times,

Listen to their praise to be polite,

Knew the credit point to Grandma,

Her advice to shed anger, pretensions,

Shamelessly pushed my face to hers,

Promised never to commit these mistakes,

Simple promises, I admitted, are gold,

The personality I carry today gets respect,

Children are envious of this quality,

Never I can get angry, prefers silence,

Hate telling lies, fail to pretend,

My wife and children know to respect me a lot,

But this fluid character built by her,

Tolerate troubles, exhibit infinite care,

Owes to her consolations love,

Read mythical books Ramayana,

Mahabharata I read to her in evenings,

She patiently listens to and explains,

Today I know how linked to my root,

Missed her presence physically the most,

But she is only for me the unforgettable

 

Title of Poem: Unforgettable

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Date 3rd November 2022, Cuttack

@ Copywrite

 

 

 

 

NEMESIS

 

NEMESIS

 

The roof is strong and protects,

Observed attentively, it stood,

Seven decades my lifetime,

I have taken shelter under it,

Forgotten memories born here,

Passed childhood, myriad events,

Countless memorable moments,

Have seen parents demised,

One by one departed true,

Left me siblings, a brother, and a sister,

I have seen their marriages,

Migrated to overseas abodes,

Grew with their families bigger,

Visited parental home pilgrimage,

Still attending festivals at home,

Periodic but blood attracts,

Their root, children never forget,

Parents' bedroom unspoiled,

The wall frame of duo oil paint,

Fresh flowers and scented sticks,

Children and grandkids offer flowers,

Sit there a few minutes silently,

Love these moments, remember,

Reminds infinite care and love,

Apparently, living through them,

This feeling is overwhelming present,

I preferred my city and our home,

Maintains faithfully, life has seen,

The arrival of kin departure times,

Recorded every year pictures frozen,

Watch occasionally them think,

They, each of them, grew here,

The home touching a century,

Mesmerize its presence duly,

I stayed here, preferred my place,

Coaxed for lucrative career and city,

Opportunities one should not leave,

Life waits for travel, distant town,

New home, neighbors are thrilling,

Significant sights, temple, parks,

Notable zoo, the university is famous,

Wider  shopping mall communication,

Traveling to scenic places, pilgrimage,

Electric sock listening to children,

My wife alerted watches me, confused,

I cry out to kids, my pilgrimage,

My home is the most sacred place,

I can't find enough courage to leave,

In my youth, seeking a future elsewhere,

The invisible power I felt pulled back,

Opened parents' bedroom and looked,

Little sadness, tears, felt calmness,

Hardly can tell a peace experienced,

Unearthly, a feeling, don't desert,

Life never means earning gold,

Limbs need luxury, pleasure surely,

It is only the mind a culprit plays,

Seduced your brother and sister,

A thousand miles away made livelihood,

Their children lost connections,

The old town where forefathers lived,

Cremated here and dust vibrates,

Our family history, roots, branches,

A tree huge, centuries-old, relatives,

Home links to all migrated in time,

Precious link of blood still connects,

Diwali occasion home is crowded,

Three generations a hundred arrive,

Celebrate blood unites unearthly,

Stream of thought flow in that room,

Felt listen to my heart pleading,

Don't leave your parents to quit home,

Never think of selling an ancient house,

Intact, beautiful, proud influences,

Friend, my nemesis, happy, I failed.

  

Title of Poem: Nemesis

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Date: 3rd November 2022, Cuttack

@ Copywrite reserved

 

CRUCIBLE

 

CRUCIBLE

 

Express abysmal working life,

Transfers are obvious to leave home,

Love you better half missed the most,

Service took my life span entirely,

Home, my children, and wife at far,

Elude meeting them leave canceled,

Rented a house, cooked my meals,

Faced if sickness alone felt helpless,

How much wanted your presence,

Remember wakeful nights at my side,

Intermittently check my temperature,

Keep medicines consult the doctor,

At a distant place of job pass night,

A night of fever alone kept it secret,

Never wanted to make your life hell,

On duty left home, the burden sharing,

You managed our house, the kids grew,

Wait desperately for my salary a fact,

You moved within the city to pay bills,

Electricity, telephone dues, or expenses,

Monthly grocery could manage the best,

I got surprised you were saving,

Forgot your pleasure companionship,

I know how desperately seeking me,

Children's examination durations,

Children's course notebook in hand,

Collect how memorizing children,

Helped them through exercises,

Corrected all answers explained to kids,

Through pages of files, lose track,

Visualize your face wrinkled in pressure,

Understanding my service is essential,

You little purchased for your clothes,

Less thought to buy ornament, jewelry,

Monthly groceries price rise a hazard,

A miracle you balanced our home budget,

 Kids tuition fee, coaching class attend,

I know you wait patiently at the door,

Look consistently through the window,

The pressure on your heart is enormous,

Only you wait for me on leave eagerly,

When arriving home, watch your check,

Your scrutiny, dear, I understand too,

My health, dress, and everything,

Under a lens, examine in detail,

I had to answer a hundred questions,

My sickness, daily medicines,

Check-up reports, consolations,

The menu of home cooking, on rest,

I attentively listen to advice earnestly,

The plead in your voice hooks me,

Cannot bypass instructions I obeyed,

Ever weekly a letter to send I promised,

Tearful, hid well, your care touching,

So much alert for my comfort, health,

Never missed the truth you sacrificed,

Sacrificed your dreams, comfort, joy,

Neglected pleasure gave time  and life,

Like molten metal poured into a crucible,

The tension, worries, and fear net poured,

Resemble the crucible your heart  churned,

It holds our family cemented strong,

The crucible provides love and cares we know,

Unique your heart crucible shield.

 

Title of Poem: Crucible

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Theme: Heart of housewife

Date: 1st November 2022, Cuttack

@ Copywrite reserved

 

EXPANSIVE

 

EXPANSIVE

 

 

Sings country leader hilarious,

Amazes landscape panoramic,

Stupendous success, hard labor,

Laborers Indians bewilder, bemused,

Metropolises outlandish sprouting,

Boasting development elaborates,

Highways, airports, skyscrapers,

Glassy towers dazzle in sunlight,

Evening advances cities glowing,

Life in hues neon coloring skyline,

Works people day and night long,

Run the mills round the clock,

The traffic, smog, frothing rivers,

Symbolizes development prosperity,

Dense forests, green cover is vanishing,

Dredgers in coastal sea digging ports,

The land is flourishing with export-import,

Skies are crowded with air traffic,

Million hopes aspiration taking shape,

The laborer in the field looks up,

Elite flourished are traveling,

Made their life minted gold plenty,

The shining glory of the nation, rich,

Tumbling records of assets honored,

Sweating below the turban shies,

Bare chest, a loin cloth, and muscular,

Brutalized at brick kilns for his wage,

The young woman was brought,

As a child from the village to the city,

Working in polished houses, sahibs,

A fleet of cars drivers at bay owned,

Children attend school dressed up,

Anglicized attire voice fails to decipher,

Looked the maid, a girl child curious,

Fail to understand accent or order,

She only can watch the laughter,

A joke is actually the wall, wide, separate,

A newborn baby sleeps in a cement bag,

Crying loudly in the shade alone,

Mother carrying bricks on the head,

Look, a wage can keep them alive,

Tomorrow is a holiday, no food,

The big city shanties in the suburban,

Life is distinct in a huge office building,

Round-the-clock work continues,

Money that matters delivers a result,

Overnight business crumbles news,

Laughs paid drivers, attendants,

An industry magnet is  road life drinking,

Desperate to live, a vain attempt,

Trying to betray reality, a beggar,

Aristocratic society in a barricade,

Fails to recognize this person block,

The migrant laborer find as jobless,

Could not get another job starving,

Returns to the village to survive,

Surprised fails to recognize villages,

No more thatched roofs, muddy roads,

Brick houses pitch roads appear,

Electricity mobile towers attract.

Schools with a big compound, crowded,

Health clinics are serving patients,

Farmers well-having tractors, cars,

Females are busy with village products,

Won transport to market in cities,

Migrant is confused and searches for life,

Hundreds of service and skill centers,

Teaching fishery, poultry,  cattle breeding,

Cotton weaving at home to pottery,

Artifacts still relevant domestic tools,

Clay idols, filigree, and paintings business,

Expansive the state of mind ponders,

National Unity day in the school,

School students are singing,

We live here to build our country,

Expansive mood, village kids smile.

 

Title of Poem: Expansive

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Theme: National Unity Day

Date, 31st October 2022, Cuttack

@ Copywrite reserved

 

 

 

FELONY

 

FELONY

 

A crime I confess committed,

Saved me from ignominy invisible,

Silently uttered never to commit,

Declared family, house servant a thief,

My son found his purse missing,

Money a thousand currency notes,

He kept it for the party but borrowed it,

Promised his friends obtained a job,

Before joining his service offered a party,

I knew the party, with drugs, alcohol,

Modern youth seeks vainly, solace,

Kills his soul, condemns life sadly,

I found, house-servant innocent,

Kept silence the party was canceled,

Relieved son packing to leave and join,

I was happy my child was not involved,

Worst fear the job may be loosed,

The child may sink into addiction,

Matter dies out in a week smoothly,

Shattered to find our servant leaving,

Quitting his job to return to his village,

Told me, sir, I am poor, I know,

But, I am not a thief, have not stolen,

I am honest with you, sir, for what I got,

My family in the village survives on money,

My monthly salary I manage only,

Never wanted to steal money at all,

Enough you helped me, found love,

Today heartbroken, fail to convince,

Please allow me to go home to find peace,

But hardly can tolerate the blame,

This was the point I revealed to him,

The felony I did commit knowingly,

He was speechless and disbelieved it,

Sir, why did you steal from your son?

I sat near him, explained everything,

Warned to keep a secret, stay at home,

He touched my feet smiled, promised,

Grudgingly said, sir, I am taking the blame,

Enough help I get from you, I accept,

Your son's prospect of saving his future,

I confess this felony willingly and accept,

Beg pardon from your son, ask for mercy,

The secret I kept to myself but stole,

Stole money from my son was a fact,

A felony in life harbored in my heart,

My child in a distant city gets separated,

Separated from evil friends addicted,

Achievers in life established in a job,

But never he could know his father,

And stole his money, a party canceled,

Forgotten in his memory lane totally,

Even my wife couldn't find the secret,

The house servant only knew,

He kept his promise to stay home,

I visited the temple looked at God,

Committed this felony to save my son,

 

Title of Poem: Felony

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Theme: Crying a father's heart

Date: 31st October 2022, Cuttack

@ Copywrite reserved.

 

 

PRODIGY

 

PRODIGY

 

Writes life story ecstatic unexpected,

Sealed once the camber in my heart,

Heard woman's life is weak, a creeper,

Depends upon her parents, brothers,

Alert to sentiments of life partner,

Seeks mother children's sympathy help,

Desperate for love from in-law parents,

Little tribulations from elders in-law home,

Knows pretty well a mature mind soon,

Automatic senses decency a chain,

Customs of the family frame culture,

Advised sunlight never to touch the skin,

Confined to home predators threaten,

Strange calls knock at odd hours stealth,

Illicit intention tries to trap the mind,

 The human heart, by nature, love, and smiles,

A woman learned sooner cautioned,

Watchful Disaster may happen, clueless,

A sudden, shockingly incident happen,

Shakes of family life disbelieve time,

Those loved, once praised, intimate,

Distanced so soon forget character,

How society families accept so easily,

Unfounded blame and attack on actions,

Disbelieves young woman suspected,

Blood dear elders brothers harbor,

Distances so quickly little consider,

My life is a woman seasoned all,

loved a guy, educated, meritorious,

Handsome, far gentle with manner,

A scholar, I fell in love, knew well,

Poor fellow, but his father is  a driver,

My family was affluent, business good,

Rejected outright the marriage,

After my wedding to the poor guy,

Life began with pleasure turned sour,

Pretty askance n heart for assets, gold,

In-law parents were demanding a lot,

Husband helplessly evading knowingly,

Sacred a love marriage found cracks,

I complained mildly, temper rising,

A cool aloofness I felt unbearable,

That was after a few years of marriage,

I preferred to be single with service,

Learned that woman's life is not weak a fighter,

The capacity she tolerates is phenomenal,

Decades of teacher-ship as a professor,

Understood how to lead a life alone,

Parents had forgotten me, it surprises,

Unequal life exists less discussed,

People love women to sacrifice dreams,

Absorbs inequality in every dimension,

Write today my life never believed,

Life in the dark corner seals a tunnel,

An opened hole could see the other end,

There is light so assuredly inviting too,

I found an orphan child dropping out,

The meritorious girl was a scholar,

Want of money, she was leaving study,

Adopted her legally financed till the end,

Today is my retirement day from university,

Students gave a touching farewell,

My child is an administrator now,

A respected officer with driver assistants,

Where shall I go? I joked with her,

Enough ma you suffered no more,

The prodigy is here to hug you,

If God exists, I see the embodiment.

 

Title of Poem: Prodigy

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Theme: Opportunity lies

Topic: Fiction

Date 30th October 2022, Cuttack

@ Copywrite Reserved