My Childhood Poem by Namita Rani Panda

I
I'm a bustling and buoyant babe.
I love to run and have a lot of fun,
dance and sing and hop and jump
and spread everywhere joy and laughter,
with no brake to my lofty imagination,
free to wish what I wish,
with unimaginable dreams countless,
unconditional love and limitless hopes.
I'm a free-spirited bird,
sick of my sour spiritless classroom,
where piteous children sit like fools
and the teacher is an old wise owl
who often raps his ruler on the table.
I love to learn from the diverse nature
not from a stereotyped teacher
who neither like a bird can sing the glory of nature,
nor like cloud bring a cooling shower.
II
Nature is enchanting and ever wonderful,
I love nature in every hue and colour.
She is ever fervent and fragrant,
she is incredibly caring and exquisitely colourful.
So I bunk classes and rush to the river
to dangle my feet in the wintry water,
to hold fish in the cup of my hand
and feel it slipping through my fingers!
My river inspires me to keep on moving
may be in summer or if it's raining
I love to chase the bewitching butterflies
and watch the birds flying in the sky.
Flapping their wings the birds say
"May be there thunder or shower,
you keep flying higher and higher
your limit is the infinite sky."
I love to swing to and fro
holding the banyan aerial root.
III
Nature manifests beauty in thousand shades and shapes,
I marvel the treasure in all her glory and phases.
She is beautiful in billion ways
in each season and on each day.
How euphoric is the cuckoo's song
which heralds the coming of lovely Spring!
My Earth wakes from deep slumber
and adorns herself with beautiful flowers.
Trees whisper in immense pleasure,
the fragrance of mango buds fill the air,
and gladdened is my heart seeing the nature.
In Summer I'm extremely gay
as summer days are longer to play
under the clear azure sky.
However scorching may be the heat
the cooling river is there to treat.
Nature has stored a sure solution
for every hurdle and every problem.
So many savoury fruits to savour
watermelon, mango, orange, cucumber.
So beautiful is the tree full of gulmohar!
IV
The croaking frogs welcome the Rain,
Nature appears in her exquisite form,
clouds roar and start to rain,
makes the earth forget her pain.
How nice it is to be a drop of rain
to give solace to all and reduce pain!
Verdant fresh leaves dance in jubilation,
flowers of unique designs and colours spread fragrance.
For me the most fondest scene
is when the sun that shines in the rain
and in the sky a colourful rainbow is drawn,
the thunder and lightning are so terrifying
but they teach a lesson full of meaning
that every danger has to come and go
and give me courage to bear challenges.
I love the velvety red lady bird beetle,
how thrilling is it to hold them on my palm!
I tear my copies to make paper boats
and sail them in the shallow stream,
I love the pattering of pattering raindrops
from the eves and drooping leaves,
the glowing glow worm in the darkness
as if says, "Though I am tiny see my aptness."
My heart overflows with brimming pleasure
which can't be matched to any treasure.
V
My heart expands with endless elation
when I glance at my golden queen.
Trees clad with red, golden, yellow gown
ground strewn with leaves so brown!
An impish fear crushes my heart,
leaves fall and nothing grows,
will it be the end of creation?
But lo! Here too is a lesson to learn:
Everything decays to reborn again,
dead leaves become part of soil
and help in new generation,
seeds grow into lively saplings
in the process of evolution.
The fondest moment in this season
is to watch farmers singing and dancing in their harvest,
the hidden lesson is that
every painstaking struggle has fruition.
How majestic is the silhouette of the leafless trees
in the moonlit night!
In every respect,
there is beauty in every object
may be living or in decay.
Stars shimmer in the cloudless sky.
But alas! So lonely are they that
they can't feel the other's warmth.
and I realise the value of warmth.
VI
How pristine my Earth looks
as if in a cool bath in dews!
Dews on leaves, dews on grass blades,
so soothing is the morning cool breeze!
When the Sun scatters his rays
the dews turn into dazzling diamonds.
How momentary are the dews!
How transitory are the beautiful things!
I learn to bear loss in life
and preserve them in memory so sweet!
I like my Earth's winter serene beauty,
I get more time to sleep in my cosy couch.
How beautiful is the sight of people sitting by fire at chilly night!
They enjoy the pleasure of sharing warmth,
I thank the lamb for my woollen cloth.
I realise in the depth of winter
there is in me an invincible summer.
Nothing in nature can undyingly stay,
as the dawn gives way to a new day
and night comes after the day.
But each creation gives us infinite joy.
If you look deeper into nature
you will learn everything better.
Long live my Nature to teach delightfully men forever!