Ekphrastic Poem 3

Monica Oswal’s splendid, richly worded poem exploring a woman’s identity down the ages finds place in our series of five exceptional ekphrastic poems composed by members of the Womaninc poetry project. The English translation is also by Monica.

सुनहरी सरसों
सोना उगलता आकाश
धुंध की परछाइयों में लिपटी चोटियाँ
अटखेलियां करता मख्खन सा चाँद
रंग बिरंगी नई पोशाकें
जाने क्या रूह की तृष्णा
जाने कब बुझेगी अनमिट ये प्यास
ललाट पर धैर्य की गरिमा
मस्तक पर गर्व का चमकता ताज
जन्मों की गिरहों में उलझी
जाने कितने नये बदनो के हाथों में डाले हाथ

पहचानो मुझको
मैं हूँ वही पुरानी ‘मैं’
बदली नही मैं
मैं हूँ ‘मैं’ के साथ

चल री सखी गाएँ फिर से
इस नये जीवन का पुरातन राग

©monica
4th June 2016

Golden mustard,
skies spewing gold,
lofty peaks embracing
shadows of mist
colourful new attires
When will this unquenchable thirst end?

Forehead brimming with self confidence,
gleaning crown of pride sitting atop the head.

Tangled within numerous knots of infinite births,
who knows how many new bodies held hand in hand

Recognize me,
I am the same old ‘Me’
unchanged
I am with ‘Me’

Come my friend,
come let us sing again
and celebrate
the ancient song of this new life.
**

Monica Oswal

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Monica Oswal has been in love with the written word ever since her childhood and is a businesswoman, corporate leader and a poet. Although she writes on various subjects, she has a finesse for Hindu mythology.