FIRE  UNDER  FULL  MOON   (AGIRA PURNAMI)

This ritual of bonfire to appease the God of fire

Every year pulls crowd  here to our square ,

Setting the moon on fire of a new set of dreams

Joining all villagers in comradery’s  old streams .

Soon the flames ablaze, devour wood and straw

Burning, boiling potatoes and brinjals all raw

That we threw inside it as a rite along with mustard seeds,

All of us watching but some stoking the fire as it feeds --

an ancient hunger ; and in its wild wake

bringing people together to share

half boiled potatoes belonging to one another

with belief in sharing that engulfs old rancor .

Pearls of your smile glaze in the receding fire

as you stand opposite to me casting a secret glow,

which others hardly care to know ;

fanning desires in a dithering mind

in an inflamed February’s cold wind

to hold  on to your petite fire

inside the forks of my body’s half-broken lyre .

@ copy right : saroj k. padhi 05/ 02/15