NUGGEHALLI PANKAJA

NUGGEHALLI PANKAJA

Cycle!

Straight and proud, bound

In the stalk by blood same

Greeted me- those four damsels lovely.

I stood still; my breath caught-

The breeze brushed their cheeks-then mine,

A thrill passed-then a tear,

(Have I ever cried?)

This my homage to you, oh young lives,

(May evil never betide!

So pure, purer than the clouds above,

And my tears--as fresh and real as the first dew-drop,

Wrung through the core of Mother Nature’s heart,

When she, like me now-stands in those moments rare,

On the threshold of joy and sorrow,

Hope and despair-life and death,

Ha! Poignancy pervades the air!

Where were you, at this time of day before,

Oh, buds of this eve coming to a close?

Not here—then, from whence have you sprung up,

If I may ask?

Speak you not? Are you yet shy?

Nay, if it be pride,

Hearken to my advice;

Just for today are you alive,

If God be pleased, then full-grown beauties,

In the ardent gaze of morrow-Then what?

Some maiden’s curls to adorn, or wither,

The wizened petals seeking refuge,

From the ruthless wooing of wind?

What then . . . the purpose of life?

However, that be, just this minute,

Will I remember to the end of my life. . . . .

The sun flying fast—so also my years,

But here, a beginning -- A picture of LIFE

In its cycle never-ending!

When Death Nears. . .

Silent steps pausing,

Hesitant

To tear away,

The benign one gazing at the horizon

Promising many a rosy dawn. . . . . . . .

But instilling courage,

The soul-it whispered,

“Take me to the almighty

That I may beseech

power to bestow –in scientists around,

Power to bestow DAWNS

Dawns stippled with sunshine

All along the path of their research-

Lined with infinity.

Blank

Mind barren

With thoughts parched,

Yearning and yawning

For drops,

Be it from clouds hanging above,

Or from founts humming below.

NUGGEHALLI PANKAJA

Nuggehalli Pankaja: Senior poet and bilingual writer Nuggehalli Pankaja  is a recipient  of several prestigious  awards,the most recent being  one of the highest-  from Karnataka Sahitya Academy  for  Literature  in 2017, and Karnataka State woman Achivers award for Literature in  2018. She has to her credit many Kannada books in all fields, and English poems, humor, short stories etc published in various leading newspapers and anthologies.  Two popular Kannada films have been made based on her novels.  She has also translated ‘The KARNATAKA PART’ from   Kannada language to English for the English Encyclopaedia brought out by the  prestigious  Kuvempu  University  of Manasgangotri, Mysore.