Devi Nangrani, USA

Exclusive: Best of Women Poetry: Edited by Padmaja Iyengar-Paddy

Devi Nangrani

THE WILL

On her death bed

She was still in her senses

To know, to understand

The play that was played

Awaiting her death.

But, before that 

She was to sign the will

Spread in front of her

With her own sweet will.

The will in front of her                                                                          

Had choices of everyone and their wishes                                                                              

To possess what she was to leave behind for them                           

Just forgetting what she needed, and                                                                           

Ignoring what she wished for.

It was necessary to sign the blank papers

Below the name typed in black-and-white

Before it was late, she wrote a few words and signed  

“Today you are the rulers                                                                               

Tomorrow you will be governed                                                                           

At this very place, a new history will be written

Tomorrow your successors will sign themselves,

Without acknowledging your wants and wishes

Where I am signing today.”

Devi Nangrani, born in Karachi (India then), is an author of many Sindhi, Hindi & English books. A retired teacher, she writes story, poetry, articles, reviews, lyrics on all types of issues, problems and challenges. A well-travelled scholar of global literary society, she regularly participates in various conferences, seminars and workshops at national and international level. She has been honored and awarded in New York, New Jersey, Oslo, Chennai, Raipur, Jodhpur, Delhi, Lucknow, Dharwaad-Karnataka, Kolkota, Goa, Kerala, NCPSL and the Sahitya Akademy. Her unique work of story translation from Sindhi To Hindi can be heard on Youtube.

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Best of Women Poetry -2020 :: Setu, March 2020