A heart’s entreatment
Unfastening the doors of isolation
Light will disperse soon…
The sun walking down the lane of anticipation
Under the touch of humanity’s infinite love
The magnificent earth will shine
Under a new sun’s radiance
Italy, China, America, Spain’s
Skies will be uplifted from horrid darkness
My country’s soil will soon flourish
Sunlight and rainfall…
The shimmering stars transpire the sky
Moonlight overflowing the heart
The wind will sing triumphant life’s ballad.
Will cities moistened with teardrops
be enlightened by sunlight?
I don’t know…
Will faith win over the unforgettable
burning grief?
I don’t know
Will lifeless dreams rise buoyant
by Almighty’s willing fingers?
Like a doctor’s marvelous hands
upbringing life and hope
Likewise constrained, obligated dreams
are making way from the valley of death.
Unfastening the doors of isolation
Light will disperse soon
Because I believe
In humanity’s heartful entreatment
In defenders of the Corona War
In our reliable, vigorous warriors of this battle,
With thanks.
(The original poem, Hridoyor Stuti, is in Assamese
by Jahnabi Nath Saikia)
Translated by Franchis N Saikia
The corona song
Because of corona everywhere
Have to stay at home.
We all have to fight with corona together.
If anyone got a corona don’t touch them
Call the doctor first then do something else.
Wear a mask or hanky on your mouth
Before you go out.
If we will go without any precaution
Police will take an action.
Neither play with your life
Nor with the life of others.
Corona corona corona go away from our earth
Go away please go away from our earth.
We are doing everything to remove you
Hence go away from our sweet earth.
Parthiv Sajwan, Class II
Maelstrom
There is no funeral space for dying people,
Who are departing ultimately for heavenly abode;
There is no world war or genocide
Happening in any part of the world;
This time neither canons nor long-range
Missiles are spitting fire;
The venom is being spewed by a nano
Enemy, the virus extraordinary, named corona;
Everyone is living in a world of fear,
The symptoms are not easily visible;
There is no vaccine or medicine best
To fight the menace and make us secure;
The only way is to remain confined
In the safe precincts of blissful home;
This is a maelstrom that will pass away,
Till then, let us be sheltered in chrysalism.
Rakesh Chandra
Bound
The shackles tied her hands,
Those heavy, painful instruments of steel,
Hurt those thin, delicate hands,
She was helpless, she was bound.
Her mind was lost,
In thoughts of the unseen,
She dreamt of seeing the outside world,
She still remained lost, she was bound.
With the sunrise each day,
She dreamt to know of the world,
She dreamt to know of alphabets and numbers,
But her hopes remained in her heart, she was bound.
The kitchen was not where she belonged,
She deserved to know of the world,
She’d see her brothers read the alphabets,
But could not read on her own, she was bound.
The sparkle in her eyes to know the unknown,
Never decreased nor lost its charm,
She decided to speak up for herself
But could not as she was bound.
The shackles that tied her were not of steel,
But of society that had its thoughts,
Girls were meant for the kitchen they thought,
But she proved them wrong.
She learnt and lived her million dreams,
She remained no more bound.
She proved the strength of a woman
And relieved the million others who were bound.
V Drishti Rao
When everything falls in line
The sun still rises and sets on time,
The wind still blows and passes with rhyme,
The birds still fly in a straight line,
But humans are locked for their own crime.
Souls leave the body within no time,
Millions suffering, dying without any crime,
People distancing socially in a straight line,
Doctors, nurses running in an uneasy rhyme.
Roaming without reason is a big crime,
Wash your hands in a rhythmic rhyme,
Lighting, clapping, singing in the mentioned time,
Waiting for that day, when everything falls in line.
Jishnu Samanta