Evening on my terrace in Chandannagar

`
The moon, so forlorn, so peaceful
Crimson diffusing into blue, the evening sky
Littered with gray cottonwool;

Swaying palm leaves in the gentle breath of air
Squeals of laughter, young children at play
Floats across the distant hum of gong, hymn and prayer.

The disc of luminous gold, across fly swallows free
At each other we gaze, just the two of us,
Lady moon and me.
`

Chandannagar, WB,

July, 2004

Summer vacation

`
Crawls along a morning
Drags along a day
Passes along like strange void
Night falls, as dull, as gray.

No job at hand, no sleep in eyes
Awake I sleep, like the old new-born
At length grows drowsy the indolent eyes
Crawls along another morn.
`

Chandannagar, WB,

July, 2004

`
For some reason
I was agitated that day,
Wailing aloud hysterically…

Ma, soft and kind as ever,
Came along; she took me in her lap,
Cuddled and caressed me
Against all my physical protests.
I somehow flung myself away,
Darted off to the large verandah,
And sat there sobbing…

I was sure she would come
Just in a while,
To pacify my temper;
And only after she begged and pleaded
Would I royally forgive her for all.
I sobbed and waited,
Having long forgotten
The cause behind this tantrum…

My wait grew impatient,
I got tired of my sobbing.
My tears having got dry,
Only an empty sniffle remained.
And yet, Ma still wasn’t there…

My bubble self-esteem
Bid me stay,
Yet curiosity,
She dragged me along,
Where in the world was Ma!

Just then,
Those lovely divine arms
Wrapped around me,
And in a moment
She was kissing me all over my face
As I clenched onto her bosom.
She just laughed and kissed,
And I punched her and hugged her
Simultaneously…


I sighed,
And sigh gave away to a dry smile
As I lay on my cot.
Some hostel-mate knocked on the door.
They were debating outside in the corridor,
Over the present socio-economic scenario.
I had wise and knowledgeable friends.
`

Chandannagar, WB,

June, 2004