Dr. Shikha celebrates the beauty of Nature in this poem, exclusively for Different Truths.

Touched by an unknown whisper I knew not where I stood.
Looking around I found myself in the heart of a splendid wood.
Out of the night’s embrace welcoming the morning sun
I basked in the surreal splendour of unfettered joys and fun.
I saw rich hues of natural wonder – all the leaves aglow,
And the sun with its dappled light weaving paths below.
I sensed the pulse of new life in a silent patient wait
In each sanctuary nestling for spring to open the gate
And with life’s chorus to fill the joyous earth,
To awaken every nook and corner for the forest’s rebirth.
The gentle touch of the breeze caressing me all along
Took me from the koyal’s ecstasy to the papiha’s song.
“Nestled in the warmth of trees you don’t realise how
Summer’s already gone, it’s monsoon time now”!
With these words the papiha crystal clear did sing
A monsoon song of love that lovers’ yearn did bring.
With the aroma of deep green grass, I saw trees with leaves abound;
The smell of quaint bright flowers greeted me all around.
Submerged in that communion I had a gaze of the sky
And found it a monsoon grey with huge clouds passing by.
Was it Meghaduta with a love missive to bring
For the Yakshini in Alakapuri who sang a sad song?
Cascading her rich hair in the incense fumes to dry
She longed for her Yaksha to send a message through the sky.
Then all at once I found hills ancient as the sun
Splashed green and yellow and a river on the run.
The golden sun was setting, I found the Milky Way
Guiding me through the dark, carrying my soul away.
I saw the moon chiselled out, a silver disk in the sky,
And myriad perfumes wildly tangled as I tiptoed by.
The call of the forests- lovely, dark and deep
Sent my mind wandering into a dream I’d love to keep. 

Visual by Different Truths

Dr. Shikha Chatterjee

Dr. Shikha Chatterjee is Assistant Professor in English in Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, India. She is a trained vocalist in Indian classical music. Her interests include creative writing, painting, singing and travelling. She has collaborated with a renowned scholar of Hindi and Professor in the University of Naples, Italy, for a bilingual book,
Bhojpuri Loriki part-2 currently available in the U.S. Library of Congress.