Manjula Asthana Mahanti: Poetry (Voices Within 2021)

Manjula Asthana Mahanti is a bilingual poet, published author, translator and editor too. She has more than six books to her credit. She has published worldwide. She is the recipient of many awards like, Rabindranath Tagore, Best Novelist, Woman of Excellence (World Survey) and Star Ambassador of World Poetry & Art. She has received prestigious Samman by Gujrat Sahitya Academy, Sahitya Shree, Shabd Sadhak, Kavi S. N. Pant Smriti Samman, Ujesh Samman etc. She is the District President of NCDWC.

I am... 

I'm beauty, I'm charm

Few consider replica of goddess, 

I'm life, show life to world 

I carry colours with me 

To brighten the world 

To remove darkness from hearts, 

From the path, from the life

My smile, laughter throw 

Colours of jollity, inspiration 

I'm hope, walk fearlessly 

Invite cowards to be fearless 

I'm unstoppable, determined 

I move forward with confident steps 

I have touched the limit of Sky 

Moreover traveled till the moon

Yes, I have faced innumerable obstacles 

I had tolerated brutality too

But my determination, not hurt 

I'm raising high with unshattered faith 

Since ages, world noticed my beautiful physique 

Pretty looks, soft heart, household skills

I gleefully announce, I'm much more capable, 

Walk towards victory, invite to follow...

***

Light the lamp... 

Light the lamp to awake 

For the triumph over the fake 

Light the lamp for the World 

Scrounging in the trap of ignorance 

Let sensibility prevail like fragrance 

Fragrance of wisdom, enlightenment 

Light the lamp, 

World competes for progress 

Leave no stone unturned, efforts rigorous 

Light the lamp 

Latent enemy of World, metarialism

Acute need of the sparks of spiritualism 

Spread the light of peace, contentment 

Realize the cause and effect of the disagreement 

Be a powerful light like Sun 

Come out of every storm unshaken 

Light the lamp, to destroy darkness 

Of mind, environment, consciousness 

Let the world smile, no confront 

As a shadow of your delight 

Light the lamp, keep brighten 

Let the darkness be beaten 

Light the lamp...

Copyright reserved 

Manjula Asthana Mahanti 

Bhubaneshwar, Odisha

***

Turning Point

The world is a winsome bunch of rare flowers

Culture, values, religious believes, life styles varies.

Engrossed to rise, indulged in efforts

But expect the unexpected always

Aroused a noxious, virulent virus spark

World traumatic, introspective, eccentric

There is much more destruction

Till touches our imagination

Writers try to console through their creations

But a sick dying man cries only for respirations

Cruelest cyclone even rests

Darkest night too, gets twilights

Brightness covers every nook & corner ones

Dreadful darkness loses its subsistence

Terror of corona, though devastating, periodical

Whole world is on its toes for its removal

World, shaken by the atrocities of this virus

Socially, economically, mentally lots of disturbances

Millions lost lives, existence

Millions lamenting for their dear ones

World, take long to recoup its aspirations

Will not be easy to regain confidence, smiles

Ample advancement, occur in the technology

Will be prime position of workology

Work from home, culture will flourish

To rise, make up losses, acute rush

So many guesses, wild fancies

Only time will reveal actual status

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Life, Cognition and Creativity 2021 :: Setu, January 2021