A Battle Won Poem by Prafulla Kumar Panda

In my stately dome
i 'd days to battle with
while battling in and battling out
i often lay tired
of bagging applauses for some deeds noble
or scolding my sinful mind for being ignoble
or decreeing justice to them
who did the right and the things laudable

many a time a victim of ambush I'd been
and screamed when my enemies' menace I'd mean
often ran with a waving sword
to eke out colossal strikes when the day's broad
though returned empty handed without a head
but successful I'd been driving them to some far off land

as fatigued, I lay in bed
to rest my aching body and my heavy head
braving the security, again they rushed ahead
still with a deadlier force and with a better bred

soon as I their war-cries heard
stood upright and unsheathed my sword
and the blow of the bugle was spread
echoes of which at far off places heard
i fought in and fought out
amidst the cohorts of hellish shout
i fought from the front and fought with might
under the canopy of the starry night
until this morning
when the pall-bearers rid of snoring
to carry away all enemies I slain-
(the battalion of armed mosquitoes)
leaving for memory some bloody stain.

©Prafulla Panda, India.