Goddess Laxmi Poem by Kanishka SricharanPratap

All...
My uncle's house
Neighbours
Friends
All...
No one gives anyone
To test the milk-boiled sweet rice
Made from paddy
Offered to Goddess Laxmi.

If given
Goddess Laxmi may leave the house!

But my mother
Every year
On the year ending day
The full moon night of
Holy harvest festival,
Offers that milk-boiled sweet rice
In the farmyard
With other food,
To servants, workers
Beggars, guests...
And anyone who comes...,
For pleasure.

One day
I asked my father:
'You check the mother,
Further she should not offer
This milk-boiled sweet rice
To others.'

In a pleasant smile
Father said:
'Who am I? Who are you?
Your mother is
The Goddess Laxmi
Of this house.'


Translated from Odia by
Subash Chandra Mohapatra