A34 Renounce The World Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

Bundles of paper work
Were laid on the desk
And the Bishop took
Days to have a look.

The final enquiry report,
That took a year almost,
To draw its conclusion
Landed in utter confusion.

“Some of the miracles
Are found beyond medical
Or scientific explanation
Or human perception.”

This finding indirectly led
To a conclusion at the end,
That the girl had seen
The Lady at the cavern.

It convinced the Bishop,
On the need to take it up
And the other formalities,
With the higher authorities.

One more miracle took place.
All the world labor force
Sent two millions francs
To the Bishop of Tarbes.

For a church to build,
On the Municipal land,
Near the Grotto ground,
Money was thus found.

Architect gave a design
To suit well the cavern
And the little terrain
O’er the small mountain.

The girl gave a description,
Of the Lady of the cavern,
That helped the sculpture,
To make a statue like her.

A Majestic building block,
The Basilica of the rock,
Like a beautiful Mansion,
Came up for consecration.

On the day of inauguration,
There was a huge procession,
Of Priests, Nuns, Sisters,
And people from all corners.

Poor Bernadette, that day,
Was to get up early,
But she could not
As her fever shot hot.

The celebration was o’er,
But still she had fever,
Perhaps for the Lady,
She shouldn’t be happy.

The Soubirous couple,
Of late, managed well,
With their own new mill,
Grinding corns plentiful.

Mayor’s income went up,
New hotels sprung up.
With the increase of visitors,
The town picked up business.

It was time for Bernadette
To renounce out right
All her worldly connection
In favor of a holy mission.

She was no more a peasant girl.
When she took up the veil
As a Holy Nevers’ Sister,
Care of Mother Superior.