11 (Sakuntala) Face To Face Meet Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

Sakuntala came out
With the real fact
For her sickness,
Her love, it was.

Her friends, she then asked,
“If you agree, tell me a word
How to get his attention?
My mind is under tension.”

Pryamvada saw the king,
“He’s not properly sleeping,
He seems to be very weak.
This is how I see his look.”

The king also felt like that.
“My wet-tear-cheek took rest
O’er my hand every night
But the hand slipped out.”

“This is the hand that pulled
The bow, but never failed
While its golden bangle
Became, in turn, dull.”

Pryamvada and Anusuya
Then told Sakuntala
“Let us send a love letter.
This idea sounds better.”

When she was hesitating
They told her, “Better sing
A song in the name of king
With all your feelings.”

Sakuntala replied, “I can sing
But my heart is shaking
As it should not be a joke,
For someone to mock.”

Dushyanta thought again,
“Why you’ve this pain?
Why this fear in you?
To hug, my hands await you.”

“How can I ridicule you,
When I’m craving for you?
Gems are searched for!
Gems search no where! ”

Her friends chided her,
“Self-condemnation is unfair.
Against the cool moon light
Who’ll take umbrella at night? ”

The king stared at his lover
“My eye lids wink never
When I just look at her!
I’m sure, it’s no wonder.”

“I can see in her face,
Shyness appearing in trace,
Her raised eye lids towards me,
In fact, show her love for me.”

Sakuntala sang, “I know not
What’s in your heart?
Pity on me, have you?
Ever I wish to be with you.”

Dushyanta then came out
He spelled his mind out.
“The moon, the day destroys,
Not the lotus flowers.”

“It’s true, Cupid burns you.
Yet, my dear girl, it’s for you
He completely destroys me.
And doesn’t leave me free.”

Her friends invited him,
“You’re most welcome.
Will you give a solution
To this trying situation? ”

He told her, “Oh beauty,
Why do you worry?
In your body’s heat,
Your bangles may melt”

“Hope your friend’s fever,
By now, is over.
Like this Dushyanta
Told Prayamvada.

Pryamvada then replied,
“The medicine on hand
Is readily available for that.
The king can cure it.”

“Like this, she’s laid up,
As her love for you is deep,
So, your duty, it has become,
To give her a new life, well in time.”

He said, “I’m blessed
As both of us desired
The same thing to happen
With the sanction of heaven.”

Cheerful Sakuntala smiled,
But pretended and said,
“Stop, he has other duties
To attend to in his palace.”

“Love makes one mad, ”
He said, “You make me sad,
By not believing my love,
While in my heart you live.”

“You’ve many lovers”
Anusuya said, “She is
Too innocent to move
And properly behave.”

He said, “Many queens
May decorate the throne.
But, I’m sure, her name
Only will bring us fame.”

Happy Sakuntala was
On hearing this assurance,
And her friends two,
Both were happy too.”