Celebrating Wakefulness

  

I never understood why people

pray all night fasting and reciting

shlokas and hymns whose meaning

probably many of them don't know,

when I was a child it was fun for me

to go with the family assured of food,

watching song dance filled plays

half enjoying in half drowsiness.

 

I too have spent night over night

wakefully writing job applications,

solved tricky problems working

from dusk to dawn

at the command of the boss:

If I pray lord Shiva

who drank poison to save us

what's the meaning

why did he drink

if he was not confident?

 

He was confident, he was sure

nothing will happen to him  Save

his throat turning blue

adding to his rugged manly beauty.

If we pray for Shiva

who will answer our prayers

someone higher in spiritual powers

or more godly than Gods?

 

Shiva is the most powerful

there is none above him

he is death and immortality.

If you stay awake for him

celebrate the night in

your own life's astral beauty.

Sabita Sahu