You Live Only Once

Don't waste the time

it's a chance we are alive

every moment calls on you

to respond  creatively  to push all

borders beyond boundaries

if you can.

 

If your breath stops,

voice falls eyes are closed

you are nothing only a lump of flesh,

and the morsels will be a treat for fire.

 

Never waste the moment

each breath, each sight must be

a vision of life's new incarnation

each touch should be Midas touch

turning stone into gold

make your soul the spirit of love

shaping reality of men and women

into a harmonious swing of life.

Sabita Sahu

 

 

DRAUPADI - IX

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's 

DRAUPADI - IX

 

After the bath and make up

clad in a red silk outfit she,

led by agefellows went to the  dining hall

where the Royal family awaited her.

 

There was a buzz, Draupadi guessed

 a mood of great expectation, a joy, a feeling

of political and social triumph. Drupad said,

Son, don't leave anything to chance, supervise

the entire reception, welcome arches, dance

drums, lines of beautiful maidens and courtiers

their petal throwing hands and slogans

must reverberate in Kampilya,

Vasudev's heart must swell with pride

and a bond of golden friendship must

tie Krishna Vasudev to our vast kingdom.

 

Dhristadyumna beamed reassuringly

you look after his pleasant stay

I'll look after the external show

and Panchali you must stand at the gate,

in your fineries and radiant beauty.

Vasudev is coming to our kingdom

greet him performing arati wearing

your bewitching smile and exuding

your charm to make his welcome divine.

Yes, my child, said Drupad, Vasudev

will see you for the first time

make it memorable for all of us.

 

 

Draupadi - VIII

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's 

DRAUPADI - VIII

She raced on the obliging steed

much to the chagrin of the trainer

miles she went breathing verdant

virgin air in lungfuls humming

a folklorish tune when she saw

children and women bathing in Begabati

she slowed to a trot and watched the girls

play pucci on the banks in clamorous frolic.

 

Draupadi never played pucci, she didn't

know what childhood growing up was

a sigh came out of her riding dress

she did not alight for she knew she would

distract the women and children:

Let them swim and enjoy their freedom,

she pulled the reins and went past

in memory reviving pace to the Akhada,

tried archery  and sword fight in earnest.

 

She was dripping wet, the sweat drops

on her face dazzled in the morning sun

her escorts led her to the palace

all satisfied no harm  has come to the Princess.

Alpana removed her riding dress

she noticed a ring of sweaty gleam

around  Draupadi's nipples piercing

the silk brassiere, aureole.

A liquid pearl moon shines on your

proud  breasts, your navel too is pearly,

Draupadi in mock anger said: Yes

The moon loves my orbs and slyly

entered my inner garments to taunt

Alpana's eyes - Go,  prepare my bath

and give me a sandal oil massage,

Alpana ran  saying Yes, Princess.

A mischievous smile teasing her lips.

Life Navigation

If you can dispel the darkness 

of your mind by the

beams of your inner being

every moment will be the

full moon night.

 

If a kiss can sweeten your day

and bring smile in your face

to light up the people around

for the dance of life.

 

Kiss away others tears

nectar will rain from sky

with uncountable  blessings,

if you carry an abandoned body

decaying  in the mud of hate

the fire of the crematorium

will inflame your  soul to enlighten

the dark icons of mankind.

 

The sun and the cloud

the boat and the storms

are all within you

navigate your life

through the evanescent storms

they will recede saluting you

to go ahead with razing energy

to wipe off all darkness.

Sabita Sahu

 

 

 

I Am Free Yet Connected

When I say I am good

why should anyone dispute.

By what logic, what standards

how do you measure -

merit or sin?

 

If I move in a public park alone

talking to myself who are you

to call me mad or a slut demented?

If I feed sick and diseased dogs

on  my dining table how does

it earn me merit and how will

Chitragupta record and weigh 

to send me to heaven or hell?

 

You tell me to mind my own business,

Tell me which business is not mine?

Whether the sun is late is my business

if it rains all night flooding my garden

it's my business-

Your dark suit should be matched

with a Turtle tie is also my business

your lunch, dinner

your libidinous needs and neighbour's sleep

all are my business:

For the world is mine

Life is mine.

I am free yet connected to all

tell me how will you measure me ?

Leave me to my own devices

I will take my life to my finger tips

merit or sin - I don't care.

I know life is precious and

it cannot be measured or rated

wait till my death for my life's worth.

Sabita Sahu

Draupadi- VII

 

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's

DRAUPADI - VII

Draupadi In The Village

 

Despite warning displeasure cajolement

Drupad's daughter convinced all

collected a thousand gold coins

cartloads of rice and clothes

and set forth early morning with Alpana

fifty guards of the palace escorted her,

her denials were ignored for protocol.

All her entreaties to go alone

not as Princess Draupadi but

as woman, Draupadi  fell flat

on Drupad and the other royals:

dignity and security concerns

prevailed over her normal desires.

 

She rode in a chariot dressed in plain clothes

her bright sunrise face radiating charm

Draupadi was eager to see the new world

beyond the palace of protected pride.

Alpana alerted her what to expect

but the Princess visualized her own scenario.

 

Anuradhapur was a narrow two  rows

of poor dwellings dirty and shabby

this was her first encounter with poverty.

She saw smiths at work dropping tools,

fear smeared faces of women came out

old men and children tried to guess

who the visitor with royal entourage was.

 

Draupadi alighted at mid street

greeted everyone men, women and all,

meantime the clamour  of salutations

'Victory be to the Princess' grew around

people rushed forward to touch her feet,

embarrassed Draupadi with folded hands

prayed for calm and sat down

on the veranda of a weaver family.

 

Don't be afraid my countrymen

you are my family, friend and relations

I came to see you, talk to you

and I wish to eat with you

if you feed me as your daughter.

Their lips widened in happy smiles 

they took her to the Hanuman temple

and she enquired passionately

their living, life, livelihood.

She was endeared to every family

She met the women while they all admired

her glowing beauty and simple ways.

 

Before she returned after eating

in a farmer's house she gave

the village elders the gold and the provisions

tasking them to start a school for children

she asked the women to read and write

'Be Yourself' she said 'Don't compromise

your dignity, work hard at home

and in fields to change your fate'.

Most villagers saw her off walking,

running almost to the palace gate

shouts of 'Long Live Princess'

'Victory be to Draupadi' delighted the king

and everyone received her all smiles.

 

DRAUPADI - VI

 

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's

DRAUPADI - VI

DRAUPADI IN THE GARDEN

 

The fragrant twilight

with inviting reverence

greeted the Princess caressingly

Draupadi sauntered in her majesty

exuding a fresh flush on her cheeks

she widened her arms jestfully

to embrace all flowers earthly, eerie

in the dumb light of sunset.

 

A group of shouting urchins

half naked, emaciated boys - girls

distracted her, she looked beyond

the gates of the garden in shock

are these children real, are they human

where have they gone

 where do they go!

 

She called the gardener and asked

who are these children

where do they live,

Do they live in such misery?

The gardener meekly answered

Princess these kids live in the

nearby village, return home

after the day's toil.

 

These kids toil!

What do they do?

They work in the fields

to bring home some money

The gardener said hesitatingly

to keep the fire burning

in their humble hearths.

 

Draupadi lost interest in the flowers

The cool breeze and the flowing scent

smarted her like poisoned darts

she asked, how far is the village?

Anuradhapura is two kos from here:

 

Tomorrow I'll go there at dawn

I'll walk - no chariot, no horse

just ask someone to show me the way

I'll go alone.

 

A heavy head bowed her down

the pathway to her chamber

coiled serpent like slowed her steps:

I have no childhood, I never

sucked my mother's breast

I do not know what it means

to grow in poverty - yet these

urchins had energy to shout

at day's end no hunger stemmed

their passion to return home!

What home, what life, what?

I must see it myself.

Brave New Life

 

The road leads me elsewhere 

no where will be appropriate

but cruel to  the planners who wish

to make the world an imagined heap

of flats topped by TV antennas, pots

some plants of flower unscented by chemicals

and in the small drawing rooms children

fire plastic guns watch comics and laugh

parents play the mobiles for money transfers

online booking of grocery medicines, clothes

the office starts in the bedrooms both

looking east and west in nighties and pyajamas

pitch high stakes over cups of tea.

 

Where are the trees gone  where are the

rivers changing courses on cement beds

to feed the commercial projects cashless?

The sky is dark over LED rooms, the flute

does not swim the air to reach my ear

the midnight bash, picnics appear unreal

I don't miss his Princess call

I measure my space in spaceless world

to stay away from all infections.

Sabita Sahu