Bent Coconut Poem by Saroj Padhi

A mute, black song bird
ruffled by an unkind wind
alights to the half-uprooted bent coconut tree
that hangs onto the bed of tuft like an etherized patient,
looks up to the dim, demure Sun
from under the curtain ofblackish fog
perhaps for some new words in the wind to take wings
as zinnias free their petals from the asphyxiating trunk-hug
and of an imminent storm, harshly the crow sings;

I don't know where to move this cold December morn
under the weight of thoughts heavy like the mist
when pachyderms stray into my hamlet to devour corn
where like stacks of hay people lie
before on pyre of despair they would burn;

I move on the river bank, wading thro' sands like a poor hawker
with my coin-pouch filled with outdated memories
in search of some stray customer who would like
to buy the whispers of my sad feels,hues of lost love, bitter- sweet agonies;


the ‘Phani-hit bent coconutof my holy land
musters courage to rise as beaming flowers start nodding in light
I hope to meet my customer at the bend of sea's mouth
where fairies from Moon-land bathe in love's true light!