Lament Poem by Ruta Mohapatra

Ah, to get back those lost summers
What would not she give!
A slice of life, the prime of it
Lost forever, spent in the wilderness
When nothing was gained
Nothing was achieved

The lifeline, if drawn in footsteps
Would pass through the Sahara desert
No oasis found on the way
Under a pitiless scorching sun
And cold, cold open nights
Under stars that could not be reached

She has often asked why, in vain
There is no answer, there is no answer
There is never an answer for anything
Except of course fate, destiny, and luck
To explain the unexplainable
And push it to the back of one's mind