Wednesday, July 1, 2020

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.


1 comment :

  1. lovely imagery used. can feel your words. wish you more success.

    ReplyDelete