BOU, ONCE AGAIN YOU……..

BOU, ONCE AGAIN YOU……..

Bou, once again you flashed into my weak and flimsy memory

Rushed into my heart’s so impervious, inaccessible and ugly cells

Echoed with your ever loving, caring, pampering and sharing tales

Enlivening your unforgettable and unthinkable sacrifice-story!

Bou, once again you stretched your invisible and surrendering hands

To run from my offensive, ungrateful forehead to the self-centred toes

To infuse life with your lively, heavenly and blissful love bonds

To purify my repulsive, junk mind with your pious presence like a Rose!

Bou, once again you opened my soiled, blurred and cataracted vision

To think of you and your unalloyed, unparalleled and supra-mundane love

To remind me, “To forget divine Bou is worse than a treacherous treason

That is past all ineffective excuses like penance, remorse or repentant sob!”

Bou, once again you lighted the bleak, sombre and dismal recess of my heart

To condemn myself and adore you, and eulogize your inimitably glorious part

To feel myself ashamed of, and suffocated by my abhorrent, gluttonous ingratitude

To pray to God not to curse any Womb with a son with my abominable attitude!”

 *BOU - Mother [in Odia, the poet's Mother tongue]

* flimsy – weak/poor

* impervious – impermeable/ not moved

* inaccessible - unreachable  

* offensive – hateful

* repulsive – disgusting/hateful

* pious presence – noble/virtuous presence

* penance, remorse or repentant sob - self-punishment, regret or apologetic cry

* bleak– desolate

*sombre - dull

* dismal – gloomy

* abhorrent, gluttonous ingratitude - hateful, greedy thanklessness

* abominable attitude – detestable/hateful manner/approach

N.B: This poem is inspired by H.W Longfellow’s poem “The Village Blacksmith.” 

© Dr. Shankar D Mishra

ବୋଉ

ବୋଉ ଲୋ,
ତୁ ତ ତୁଳସୀ ର ସମ ପବିତ୍ର,
ତୋ ହୃଦୟ ମହାନ ଶ୍ରୀକ୍ଷେତ୍ର ,
ତୁ ତ କମଳ ପରିକା କୋମଳ,
ସଂସାର ବୃକ୍ଷେ "ଏକ ଦିବ୍ୟ ପୁଣ୍ୟ ଫଳ!"


ବୋଉ ଲୋ,
ହାଡଭଙ୍ଗା ଶୀତ ରାତି ର ତୁ ଅତି ପ୍ରିୟ ଉଷ୍ଣ କମ୍ବଳ,
ମୁକ୍ତି ପଥର ତୁହି ତ ଏକ ବିରଳ ଅମୁଲ୍ୟ ସମ୍ବଳ,
ନିଦାଘ ଦୁଃଖ ଝାଂଜି ରେ ତୁ ତ ପରମ ସୁଖ ର ବାଆ,
ସତରେ, କି ସ୍ବର୍ଗୀୟ ତୋ ଅତ୍ମୀୟତା, ଆହାଃ!"


ବୋଉ ଲୋ,
ତୋ 'ମୋ ଧନ ' ଡାକେ ଝରେ ଅହରହ ଅମୃତ,
ତୋ 'କୋଳ' ଚୀର ଶାନ୍ତି ର ଷୌଧ ନିର୍ମିତ,
ତୋ ସ୍ନେହରେ ଏ ସାରା ସଂସାର ଆତଯାତ,
ଆହାଃ! ତୋ ବିନା, କି ଏକ ଅଲୋଡ଼ା ନର୍କ ଏ ଜଗତ!


ବୋଉ ଲୋ,
ତୋ ରୁଣ କେହି କେବେ ସୁଝିପାରେନି,
ତୋ ପରି କେ, ପିଲାଙ୍କ ମନକୁ ବୁଝିପାରେନି,
ତୋ ପରି ମୁକୁତା କେଉଁଠି ବି କେବେ ମିଳିପାରେନି,
ଥରଟେ ମାତ୍ର, ତୋ ଛେଉଣ୍ଡ ପିଲାଙ୍କୁ ତୁ ଦେ ଅନାଇଁ,
ତୋ ଲେଉଟା ପଥ କୁ ଆମେ ଚାତକ ପରାୟ ରହିଛୁ ଚାହିଁ,
ତୋ ଘର ବାହୁଡା଼ କୁ ଆମେ ଏକ ଆଶା ର ମୀନାର ଗଢ଼ୁଛୁ ରହି !


ବିଶେଷ ଦ୍ରଷ୍ଟବ୍ୟ: ଉପରୋକ୍ତ କବିତା ଟି ଏକ ବନ୍ଧୁ ଙ୍କ ବୋଉ ଙ୍କର ତିରୋଧାନ ଉପଲକ୍ଷେ ଲିଖିତ!