SOJOURN

Nature embellishes with

The advent of autumn,

The blooming of sewali,

The swaying of kohuwa,

To herald Divine Mother,

Who alights with her children,

For an annual sojourn,

Bedecked in ornaments,

Equipped with weapons,

To represent

Elimination of evil

And symbolize

Victory of the virtuous.

Her earthly sojourn

Delights every worshipper,

Enthralls the youngsters

And elderly equally,

To the rhythm of dhak,

To the sound of uruli,

To the illuminated mandap,

To the instant jalebi.

Her sojourn ends

On the tenth day

Of the moon’s phase

And she proceeds

Towards the river

With divine grace,

Along with the crowd

Who follows her

With utmost reverence.

 

[Published in the e-magazine ‘Enajori.com’ in October 2011 issue]

ODE TO MORNING

Mother Nature gives you birth,

As golden sun-rays touch the earth,

Chasing away shades of darkness,

Brightening your beautiful face.

 

You sparkle with freshness,

You sprinkle around happiness,

Awaken people from deep slumber,

To march forward and shine brighter.

 

Closed buds prepare for bloom,

Fresh roses adorn my room,

And I simply love to hear,

The tiny feathered friends twitter.

 

Fragrance of burning incense,

Purifies the air with radiance,

With the cool gentle breeze,

Presenting a caress of perfect bliss.

 

Nature lovers consider you a boon,

Nocturnal activators say, you appear soon,

In fact, you’re a harbinger of hope,

To discover new horizons and better scope.

 

[Published in the e-magazine ‘Enajori.com’ in February 2011 issue]