My Beloved On My Shoulder. Poem by Bishnupada Sethi

Too weak hearted-
You screech to see me carry
The empty body of my beloved
On my shoulder.

Our Lord too-
Having gone wild
At the sight of His consort
Immersing in the sacrificial pyre
Moved about the universe
Carrying the mortal remains-
All for twelve years
Looking for someone
Who could revive Her
As none dared stop His Tandav
And He searched for
An immortal love
Till he dropped Her body parts
At all twelve places turned holy.


A rare privilege this is-
An intimate tribute
To someone I love
I'm carrying
Weighing a few pounds
Worn out due to earthly processes
On my hardened shoulder-
A bliss too difficult to describe.

Look at my face.
Am I complaining?
Though I'm sad
For losing my love,
I'm not in a hurry
To dispose of
What little remains of now.
Yet I search for her presence
Wherever I go.

The whispers of gentle breeze
The shadow of a tree,
The sound of a bird in the branches,
The wild flowers by the side of lanes,
The sight of knowns and unknowns
Remind that I am not alone.