DUMPED
Goddess Durga immersed In a nearby pond
Floating with stray ribs of straw and dry leaves non-stop
A baby corpse wrapped emerged in dark blue
Sadly a girl infant nipped in the bud by crooks.
A baby with pale pink placenta could not bloom
Dumped without mercy without a crying in doom
Saddened the crowd in spiritual hues
Spoiled their spiritual fervour by a brute.
White babe quavering and rippling with clay pots
Still fresh marigolds and hibiscus dying in shrouds
Biological mother denied her the right
Divine mother buried her by her earthly weight .
Witness of this failure of humanity on stake
A beggar stretched her hands to bury her in a grave
Swimming across amidst weeds and worms
She held the corpse for a while in her bosom firm.
The desolate heart hungry for love and care
Had more courage than the crowd could dare
Like the goddess of clay that was swept away
Many demons rise to put the goddess of flesh away.
The prayers to Mother Durga is for a child
That will carry the name of dynasty further
Not a girl child to dump in the sewers
Waiting for Navratri to offer in the coffers.
Jyotirmaya Thakur
Author and Retired Principal ,
United Kingdom
