Jayanta Mahapatra As An Odia Poet Poem by Bijay Kant Dubey

Jayanta as an Odia poet
Photographing
The rock-built temples of India,
Sculptural, architectural specimens
Of art, culture and tradition,
Heritage and culture,
Architectural splendour and glory,
Standing as the relics of priceless art,
The witnesses of time.

Against the backdrop of these, the poet
Keeps viewing,
Thinking of doors and windows
To be carved out,
As for windowless,
Gasping for air and space,
From the single door
The people coming and going
In congestion.

Sitting by the door, he taking
Visionary glides,
Slipping past,
Revelling into the realms of Time,
Marking the sculptures
Of love and lust
And in relationship,
May be those of the masons at work.

Frail light falling upon,
The beggars by the temple door
In a prayerful tune of own,
Seeking salvation and pardon,
The devotees queued,
Many of them widows, poor daughters and sons,
Held by faith and doubt.