Voices of the night
In the dead of the night
Voices speak – that tacit
Universal language
Mad – I get up
Trying to hold it all
On a paper!
No matter
Blood or ink
They say – the papers are blank!
I console myself
May be they are blind
And wait – praying
O’ god – give them the eyes
To see it all
And a heart
To feel the voices of the night!
***
The Dream
The mosquitoes hummed
A known song!
No repellents
Could prevent them
So I accepted them as guests
And with my blood
I offered them a treat
I woke all the night
And never did attempt
To kill them
Sleep did come stealthily!
On waking I found
It was all a dream
The mosquitoes – and the song!
****
Hide and Seek
The lone light-post
That boy beneath
His school bag – open
His book and a note
May be I saw him
And wanted to say something!
But on my bike
She was eager to reach home
This evening in the market
Someone touched my shoulder
As if to talk to me
A glance at him
And that same boy
With lots to ask
I am there
And in vein do you
Seek for me
Here and there
***Narendranath Patnaik
