RANJANA SHARAN SINHA

 

The Olive Tree

 

Your love--

A curved question mark

in the Mediterranean of time--

floats unanswered:

The vast expanse of sea

scares me and sends

a sinking feeling:

I freeze in fear!

But soon the thalassophobia

vanishes into depths

and I dive for swimming!

 

The lily of the Nile

in shades of blue and white,

stand tall and full of charm.

Gorgeous oleander with

pink, red and white blooms;

cianothus with clusters

of blue, blue blossoms,

come and stay in my thoughts:

Ah, Mediterranean flowers!

 

The strong gust of  wind ,

responsible for  transforming

my beating rhythm

into a wayward heartbeat,

blows over the saline sea:

Unwished tears come to my eyes!

 

The question mark--

At times, a nanoscopic snake

with extended hood;

At times, a nanoscopic palm of hands

with fingers bending forward--

becomes an obsession!

 

I scare the snake into

slithering away, and

reach out to hold the hand:

A wondrous subtle feeling

without words!

 

I become the olive tree--

Emerald grey, silver green

with unique foliage

full of love and peace

in the Mediterranean landscape!

 

Your Memory---

 

The pink -red lake

of a mirific morning

with golden strands:

I wish to drown myself

in the colour coral!

 

Your memory--

The blue-grey lagoon

of a dark night

with silver threads:

I love to swim

and feel weird!

 

Your memory---

The fireflies with

a soft warm glow

flickering through the

trees of my heart: I behold

the wonder of phosphorescence!

 

Your memory---

The fading flames of dusk

with dying embers of love

burning fitfully:

I watch the cinders in snatches!

 

Your memory---

The weepy feeling of

a melancholy moment:

With hands holding

bruised blossoms and dried leaves,

I endure the ache!

 

Once In A Blue Moon

 

Every so often,

like a beam of sunlight,

You enter through

a narrow hole of my heart--

I try to recognize!

 

Every so often,

like small boats of clouds,

you float in the sky

of my thoughtful mind--

I'm caught by surprise!

 

Every so often,

like air in my atmosphere,

you rise and sink

creating mist and rain--

I feel the pattern of weather!

 

Once in a blue moon,

like the restless ocean

cresting and dissipating,

you seem to call me--

I breathe in the poignant salty breath!!

 

RANJANA SHARAN SINHA

 

Dr. RANJANA SHARAN SINHA is an eminent poet, author and retired professor of English, S. B. City College, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur, India. She is a well- Known voice in Indian Poetry in English with international recognition. Her poems, short stories, articles and research papers have been widely published in reputed dailies, magazines, e-zines, archives and journals in print and online She has authored and published 09 books in different genres and 50 research papers covering different themes and subjects. Her poems have found space in more than highly- acclaimed global Anthologies like OPA, Atunis Galaktika, Silk Route Anthology, Egypt, Poet Anthologies, UK, Kali Project, Indi (e) Blu Publishers, USA and many more. Her books are: 1. Spring Zone (A Collection of Poems and Haiku) 2. Midnight Sun (A Collection of Short Stories) 3. Nature in the Poetry of William Wordsworth and Sumitra Nandan Pant (A Comparative Criticism) 4. Feminism: Times and Tides (A Theoretical and Historiographical Commentary on Feminism) 5. Different Dimensions (A Compilation of Research Papers presented in various Conferences and Seminars) 6. Scents and Shadows (A Collection of Poems) 7. Rhymes for Children (A Collection of Nursery Rhymes) 8. The Purple Jacaranda and Other Poems (A Collection of Poems) 9. Ek Sita Main Bhee (A Collection of Hindi Poems). Her poems have been translated into Greek, German, Spanish, Albanian, Russian, Polish, Persian, Nepali and Hindi languages. She has the honour of receiving a number of awards for her contribution to poetry including a commendation from the former President of India, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for her poem "Mother Nature" contained in her collection "Spring Zone". Her other awards are-- Best Poet Award by Poets International, Bangalore, Rashtriya Pratibha Samman, Muradabad, Best Citizens of India by International Publishing House, New Delhi, Best Teacher Award by Nagpur Shikshan Mandal, Nagpur, Govind Hindi Samman, BrijSahitya Mani Samman, Agra, Chitransh Bhaskar Samman, Bilaspur, Citation of Brightest Honour by Sufi International, Bangalore, Order of Shakespeare Medal by Motivational Strips, Independence Day Literary Honour by Gujarat Sahitya Akademi 2021, Best Indian Author Award 2021 by Critic space Journal, Rabindranath Memorial Honour 2022 by Dept. of Culture, Govt. of Seychelles and its journal SIPAY and The Golden Heart International Award 2022 by World Poetry Foundation. The subject of her PhD thesis was "Sri Aurobindo and the Epic Tradition". She has also completed and published a UGC- sponsored  MRP on comparative literature. Her poems from her collection have been included in postgraduate University Syllabus, Purnea University. She us a bilingual poet and writes in Hindi, too. She lives  in Nagpur with her spouse who is a doctor (Ophthalmologist). Ranjana ardently believes in lifelong learning.