This Body And Mind Poem by Prafulla Kumar Panda

I'm checkmated,
and can't make kingly move

this union has put shackles all around
to slow me like a cattle with harness bound
a time hither to now,
i had a free go-
i climbed up to the hill top
and hip-hops I could do
or dipped my legs in knee dip water
or threw potsherds to make the river to splatter
or tried my freedom at Devkund
when for hours the fountain made me spellbound
i lay etherized on the lea all wintry-noon
and lost the pangs of the heart so soon

still, this mind
i have honed very stout and strong
that shakes all girdles and garters it does expunge
to dream all azure and all things new
that wakes me up to walk with you
when the evening is spread out
in the distant meadow
and the shameless stars
peep through the cleavages of thin clad cloud
and the evening bites her lips
standing amidst the crowd

upon your all swaying cakewalks
the spring rushes early pushing away the fall
the gnats mellophone and the scent of wild jasmine enthral
the breeze blows the flute of love
and the frenzied Suna forgets her fury and moves like a dove
when you fall into my arms
and I whisper banters into your ears
seeing two hearts melt like ice so soon
shreds of beams does sprinkle the jovial moon

the pleasure we get while beside me you lie
like the moths when they on the fire bay play.

(Suna: a river in western Odisha)
©Prafulla Kr. Panda, India.
All rights reserved.