NANDITA DE NEE CHATTERJEE

NANDITA DE NEE CHATTERJEE

First Flush

The heady scent

wafts in...

Freshly fallen from the trees

gathered one by one

by moist hands.

Curls still wet

hide her face.

She seeks the

three tender tendrils,

holy grass hiding in the weeds.

Basket full of Shiuli

all white with red.

Early morning grace.

Rubbing my eyes

I see her return.

The glow of dawn

now on her cheeks.

Waking to the Shiuli,

breathing in its wealth..

Hands folded in prayers,

it lies now at His feet.

The curls dance delightedly,

a heavenly scent fills the room.

The serenity on her face.

The dewy splendour

resplendent with

her reverence.

Invisible

Don't mock the wind

it's stronger than you.

The plant that bears

no flowers

is pertinent too.

Invisible in broad daylight

yet singing their own song,

they exist in rhapsody

and crave not

the limelight.

Silence is their strength

the shadows their shade.

They seek not the show

and sway in solemn grace.

The rock that's lying

unmoved

for years on end

has life thriving under it

and an energy unseen.

Mock not what one knows

naught of,

for mountains have ridges

unstaked

and forests paths unknown.

Somewhere in the recesses

of our minds

lie hope

which has not yet come to term,

pregnant with possibilities,

awaiting its turn.

That man in the neighbourhood

no one knows of,

immersed in his papers,

the spectacles

his only companion...

that man may know something

that the rest run around

to find.

Sweep away the layers

smothering what's real.

There's no time, for

the masquerade must end.

Layers of consciousness,

layer upon layer,

left to be uncovered.

Waters of wisdom

not to be tasted by all.

The quietest of them all

saw what was coming,

in silence

the mind spoke the loudest.

In stillness the journey

suddenly becomes clear.

The movements that

paralysed the being

halts

and paves the path

for rebirth.

Forces that we know

nothing of

may come one day,

sweep us to realms

restored by faith.

Mock me not

for there are many of me,

my mind might break

but within

something remains,

un-slayed…

An Awakening

The maddening race suddenly cut short.

Gates, invisible, springing up out of nowhere.

Strident march of mankind stalled all at once.

Silence returns steadily to earth.

The gentle breeze whispering secrets to palm fronds

now distinctly loud.

The dust laden brown eucalyptus

on borders

glistening brightly in the sunlight.

Snowcapped peaks peeping out from behind years of smog.

Chirping birds heard around again.

What new wonders is earth revealing each day?

Out the window man stares.

Heartbeats now slower,

solitude a reminder.

Introspection into the callousness, greed, wastage, dizzy pursuit of

endless gratification,

consumption,

annihilation of natural forces.

Consciousness and conscience casualties of apathy and hatred.

Penitence. Regret. Realization.

Love. Compassion.

Oneness.

Life welcomes one again,

its customary grace surpassing penalties for humankind.

Embracing us into a new order

of respect for life,

its principles and practices.

The planet is not one to be scourged and ravaged.

It's a world to be revered and nurtured.

A world, age old but seen anew.

An awakening of man to a world with a brand new ethos.

NANDITA DE NEE CHATTERJEE

NANDITA DE NEE CHATTERJEE: Writer freelance journalist, housewife. Formerly with Economic Times. Cover stories and Feature Writer with Statesman, Illustrated Weekly of India, Economic Times, Telegraph, Times of India, Femina, Filmfare, Germany Today, Voix Meets Mode, UK, FrontierWeekly.com. Namaste Ink March 2020. Was Part Time Lecturer at Calcutta University Journalism department, PG for 7 months. Was Consulting Editor, Environ. Launched Economic Times Marketplace for ET. Editing experience. Co Author, Big Bang of Non-Fiction, Life in Reverse; 30 Best Poets; Sea; Coffee and Echos; Wrapped Up Feelings; Poetry Planet's Christmas in my Heart in 2019, Moonlight; Asian Literary Society anthologies A Kaleidoscope of Asia and A Bilingual Anthology of Poems and Poetry Planet's Writers' Haven in Feb-Mar 2020. Have a digital magazine and group, Studio Quaintrelle. Participate in major digital literary forums Poetry Planet, Our Poetry Archive, Bebee.com, AllPoetry.com, Asian Literary Society, Literature Lovers Association, Realistic Poetry International, Let's Make Stories, Plethora Blogazine, Wonder Women World Writers, English Literature, Story Mirror, Significant League, Gully Writers, Beyond the Box, Women's Web etc.