RANJANA SHARAN

RANJANA SHARAN

FRAGRANCE OF AUTUMN

Monsoon morphs into autumn:

Trees have begun

turning to golden brown

Caramel leaves—

Pale yellow, amber, and cinnamon

begin to fall;

Some leaves burn

With shades of russet and red.

But autumn removes

the fiery cloak of colours

and takes a dip in the river:

Lo, he is reborn in a new form—

Immaculate, white, pristine!

The whiteness is reflected in the Kash flowers

blooming on the bank

Swaying in breeze

bobbing their heads under fleecy white clouds.

The never-ending stretch

of the furry flowers

reminds me of Wordswotth’s

belt of cheery daffodils—

a great thrill! an unforgettable joy!!

Autumn touches beautiful Parijat—

aromatic small flowers

with delicate petals above an orange tube.

I close my eyes

The dawn seems to be breaking,

The Parijats drop

One by one

Covering the ground;

the air is redolent with the perfume!

I breathe in

the sweet nostalgic fragrance:

My childhood sleeps

on a soft expanse of

snow-white petals!

WHISPER

O beautiful rose

Celestial and pure

Unique has been your bloom

Since the days of my infancy

White, pink, red and maroon!

Striding across the dew-decked grass

My infantile feet reached the land

Where you beckoned me over

And waved your magic wand.

The dawn sky with mellow colours

Signalled the arrival of your lover

You looked up like a bride-in-waiting

Adorned with a mantle of petals

In the morning he appeared

Pouring vermilion and gold

And with a gentle kiss

Welcomed you out of your fold.

I gazed with wonder

How little buds became flowers

Full of scent and attraction

Presenting an array of vibrant colours!

Your beauty with myriad hues

Strolls through my senses

Filling me with joy and ecstasy

Banishing my blues.

But sometimes your bloom

Casts a deep gloom

Over my mind and soul:

Oh, you wither so soon!

That day I was in the garden

Looking at the shriveled petals

My heart ached and grief increased

Like the evening shadow.

All of a sudden, I saw my hoary past

Reminding me of my childhood

And whispered something at last

That dispelled the dark cloud.

“Look at the flowers with my eyes

Don’t think and scan

Feel the magic and rapture

They create in a brief span!”

HOMELESS CLOUDS

Night wanes

The whisper of morning is in the air

The moonlight appreas

Like a diffuse ocean

of yellow light.

The trees are silhouetted against

the still sky painted in grayscale.

You and I sit together

looking into each other’s eyes:

Golden liquid in our hands

clinking gobbets in a quiet moment!

Past and present have merged,

future remains suspended!

Suddenly I raise my eyes to the sky—

the clouds under the commands of wind

Move like urchins in rags:

Hungry, tired, aimless!

I feel a sudden sweep of sorrow

My happiness evaporates:

sadly I muse on the plight of the children—

abused, neglected, exploited, homeless!

.RANJANA SHARAN

DR. RANJANA SHARAN is an eminent poet, author and literary critic. Former professor of English at S.B.City College, Nagpur (Maharashtra) India, she is a research supervisor (English) of RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur. She has done Ph.D on the topic ‘Sri Aurobindo and the Epic Tradition’. Her poems, Short Stories, articles and research papers have been published at national as well as international levels in reputed Dailies, magazines, journals etc. she has received many prestigious awards/ honours for her achievement in literary field. Earned accolade of the former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam for her poem ‘Mother Nature’ in her collection of poems ‘Spring Zone’. Published five books and fifty research papers in English. Completed and published UGC sponsored MRP on Comparative subject. Presented papers in a number of national/ International conferences/ seminars. Member of many literary organizations and groups.