The hours spent in waiting Did not rot, wither, and go to waste. The number of candles Upon the birthday table Did not increase on their own accord. The bumblebee did not lose its way intentionally, Nor did the flowers in the garden change With the turning cycle of seasons. These poems would never have overflowed like this Into the pages of the diary; The fugitive, runaway words Would never have submitted or obeyed. The deadly venom would never have transformed Into sweet nectar. Never had the bud of a rose withered away In the intoxicating fragrance of night-flowering jasmine (Gangasiuli). Even after the distant birds flew back, The nest did not fall into disarray. Abhimanyu, too, returned From the depths of the Chakravyuh. Yayati, detaching himself from desires by his own will, Returned the borrowed youth. Even when rivers lost their way And failed to merge into the sea, The ocean's loving waves never diminished. Even after the footprints on the quicksand Were completely erased, The path remained visible. Look, only because you had said so, Even spring has not deserted the courtyard. If promises are forgotten, Who here is truly known, and who is a stranger? — Ratnamaya Tripathy Adhyayana, Balangir —————–Original Odia : Ratnamaya Tripathy Translated by : Dr. Khyatimaya Tripathy Want to read this poem in Odia ? Click Here Want to read this poem in Hindi ? Click Here

I will no longer give you the seven colors of the rainbow, I have saved only the color of love for you now. Upon this withered body that had shed all its leaves, Fresh green foliage has sprouted once again. Look!!! See how I am evergreen now. The bumblebee that had lost its way for many days, I have called it back into the garden. At your slightest gesture, it will wander From this flower to that flower. To welcome you, I have kept A thornless rose. I have perfumed the courtyard with the scent of jasmine, And amidst the thick canopy of the mango tree that has just blossomed, I have told the cuckoo to sing a song of welcome for you. The Krishnachuda (Gulmohar) trees will look Even more vibrant this time. When you come this time, I will absolutely never say that I am too busy. I will write poetry just for you. If you so wish, I will bring love songs From the enchanted poet of romance And sing them to you, staying awake all night long. The morning will break only after you wake up, And the night will fall the moment you go to sleep. Whatever you desire shall happen, I will accept everything with a bowed head. I have drenched you in the Phagu (Holi) colors of spring many times, But this time, I will drench you purely in the color of love. Winter has departed, and spring has arrived now; May our…

Sow the seeds of memory In the soil drenched by the rains of Shravana (monsoon). Whether they sprout or not, Nourish them with the fertilizer of hope and faith, And weed out the wild, unwanted grass of despair. Wait… Just wait… But do not harbor the blind belief That a tree planted during an auspicious hour (Amruta Kala) Will only bear nectar-sweet fruits. From the rainbow visible on the distant horizon, Pick the color that suits you best. Play politics with those colors, Create your own gods, Or else, declare yourself a messenger of God! A new history has already been written; Now, keep your mouth shut and support it. Stand on the grand royal street (Rajadanda), And loudly proclaim your caste, your lineage, Your history, and your birthplace! Do not hide your stained, tarnished body Among the Kashatandi (white thatch grass) of the riverbanks. With your mind drenched in the colors of the Parijata flower, In which river's water will you wash yourself? At which bathing ghat (Tutha) will you bathe To purify your soul? To which mountain peak will you climb To proclaim your nationalism? Wait… Those sown seeds of memory Will pierce right through the hard rocky floor and rise. Gathering the harvest of success, This nation, this race, will smile once again. —————– — Ratnamaya Tripathy Adhyayana, Balangir —————– Original Odia : Ratnamaya Tripathy Translated by : Dr. Khyatimaya Tripathy Want to read this poem in Odia ? Click Here Want to read this poem in Hindi…