In this poem, Deeya invokes the demon slayer, who with thousand hands slew evil and darkness. An evocative poem for the Durga Puja special feature, in Different Truths.

With thousand hands she
would rise
a slayer of darkness
through the mystery
she would rise
she would rise
she would fight death
through thousand thundering
tongues
the infinitesimal chant
of ‘Shantih! Shantih! Shantih!’

Each of her hand
bearing a weapon
in tryst with a god
fights each vice
The daughter of the Mountain-god
she rises through pugnacious nights

of amavasya
She slays the night
she slays
the Demon-king
on buffaloes
She is Chamunda
as gory as the night
her fill of blood
weaving her curly tresses
her stained mouth
her liquid eyes of Hera
with a fury she rocks
the eclipse of moon

She harbours safe
and the jonak songs
of the night merges
with autumnal chants
of the silent dew on grass
which welcome and adorn her.

©Deeya Bhattacharya

Pix from Net.

Deeya Bhattacharya

Born in Durgapur, West Bengal, Deeya Bhattacharya has a PG in English Literature and a Graduate in Education from the University of Burdwan. Her poems and articles have appeared in several national and international journals, websites, and e-zines, besides several anthologies. Member of Poets International, she has read her poetry at quite a few fests. She teaches English and Poetry at a State Government High School.

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