N. MISHRA
(Translated from Oriya by the author)
Grant me a third eye!
I can read
the venom of man’s heart,
the process of denaturing
the evil spirit of man
if possible, I can also know
mankind’s agony,
the travails of future
in advance.
Grant me a third eye!
Like Sanjay
I can tell
the events of war
and the awe-inspiring Viswarup
to the modern Dhritarashtra;
I can calculate
the permutations and combinations
of all elements in mortals;
Like a phoenix
I shall rise from my ashes
from the quagmire
of lust, greed and anger.