The Temple and the Goddess
They decked me up In fancy lights and garlands. They had even painted me. They remembered that I housed a deity. All around , in the midst of cacophonous dizziness Stood a couple of wandering storks And stray dogs seeking shelter. Smoke billowed up and shrouded My crown. In front of me sat a thousand chattering folks Immersed in their own successes or that of their spouses and sons in distant lands. A fortunate mum Boasted of foreign-returned daughter. Most others busily clicked photos Of the deity Who stood quietly. Hundreds donated fruits, flowers, sweets and new garments. Bejeweled she stood - Charismatic, Exuding a power, Determined to slay any demon Who threatened existence. She stood tall, Powerful, Never batting an eyelid In this oppressive world Of teary-eyed hapless ones. Could she hear the cry of the voiceless? Could she see the misery of the fighters Who have taken to streets Hoping to win an unequal dispute at court? Could she feel the agony of the bereaved mother and relief of the divorced spouse? Perhaps. She stood patiently While I guarded her From rain, hail, storm and oblivion. I watched her.
Chandrani Mukherjee
Chandrani is a high school teacher who has discovered the joy of expression in verse through reading and writing. She is an amateur poet who looks forward to discovering her self, her identity and her views through her compositions.