AT
ONE TIME
B. Parvathi
Once aglow with
joy and cheer running about,
I followed the
bird in its flight on to the mountain top
The cliff where it
overlooked the sea earth and sky.
A song burst forth
in a flood as the full moon rose
I reveled in the
soft tenderness of night.
“My child is
happy”, said my father
His eyes bright
with love.
I ran across mire
for lotus flower
Which seemed to
spring from dry earth
No danger seemed
possible.
Life, shimmered
like a water drop on lotus leaf, beautiful.
Endless dreams,
unfathomable fears too filled the days.
Under the open
summer sky only the neem
Lay awake to
wonder along with a little heart
At the twinkling
stars and shooting lights
Across, what lies
beyond frightened in its dark muteness
Was it gods or
demons hell or heaven,
Where would one go
in the enveloping darkness
Lo the gloom! Why
can’t the moon rise
Like the sun at
eventide?
In the big old
tiled house
People stuck in
timelessness chatted
“The waters of
Krishna will wash
Durga’s feet and
touch her nose stud,”
Where would we all
be in the flood-
Mute fear struck
my heart,
“Stony cock will
crow, a widow will rule the land”.
Where to run when
the waters rose
Won’t earth quake
if stones can speak
When the sun
rested to rise again
Birds sang, a
breeze touched
Grand mother
awoke, joined hands
Hummed praise of
the lord in low sweet tones.
Her warmth and
faith dispelled night
Nestling close to
her it seemed dawn all times.