False Promise of New Year

I wrote the poem below today morning in my mother tongue Axomiya ( Assamese) and translated to English just now. Posting the poems in reverse order here.

Isn’t the year about to end,
Why no one has let the bird
singing merrily know;

I asked the half-bloomed rosebud
Stiffened in the winter cold,
No, no one told her,
The year is just about to end;

I asked my dog
Sitting and lookin out,
Did anyone tell him,
In a little while
The year about to turn;
He ignored me and
kept looking out,
Maybe waiting for
winter to end and
return of spring, when
He can frolick in
the cradle of nature again;

I asked nature
Are you getting ready to
Welcome the new year?
Smiled she sadly and said,
Will you listen to my pain?
I haven’t figured out a way
To protect my children from
the madness of mankind
shouting hoarse about
Global warming and
climate change;
Spare me the additional pollution
of your insanity,
The false promise of
A Happy New Year.

ভুৱা প্ৰতিশ্ৰুতি নৱবৰ্ষৰ

বছৰটো হেনো শেষ হব ওলাইছে,
কোৱা নাই কোনেও বাৰু কিয়
আনন্দেৰে গান গাই থকা চৰাইটোক;
সুধিলো শীতত ঠেৰেঙা লাগি
ফুলো ফুলো কৰি আধা ফুলা হৈ থকা
গোলাপৰ কলিটিক,
নাই, কোৱা নাই কোনেও
বছৰ বাগৰিছে বুলি গোলাপীক,
বাহিৰলৈ চাই বহি থকা মোৰ কুকুৰটোক
সুধিলো জান জানো ত‌ই
বছৰ বাগৰিব আৰু কেইটামান ঘণ্টাত;
আওকাণ কৰি মোক
চাই থাকিল সি বাহিৰলৈ
হয়তো অপেক্ষাত
কেতিয়ানো হ’ব শীতৰ অন্ত,
আহিব বসন্ত আৰু
আনন্দৰে সি কৰিব বিচৰণ
প্ৰকৃতিৰ কোলাত;
সুধিলোঁ প্ৰকৃতিক মই
হৈছানে সাজু তুমি আদৰিবলৈ
নতুন বছৰক?
প্ৰকৃতিয়ে হাঁহিলে দুখেৰে, ক’লে
শুনিবাজানো কথা মোৰ বেজাৰৰ,
ভাবি পোৱা নাই উপায় মই
ৰক্ষা কৰো কেনেক
সন্তানক মোৰ
বিশ্বব্যাপী উষ্ণতা আৰু
জলবায়ু পৰিবৰ্ত্তনক লৈ হাহাকাৰ কৰা
উন্মত্ত মানবৰ মূৰ্খামিৰ পৰা;
নালাগে মোক অতিৰিক্ত প্ৰদূষণ
তোমাৰ উন্মাদনাৰ,
ভুৱা প্ৰতিশ্ৰুতি এটা নৱবৰ্ষৰ।

Now the question is how do I say happy new year to my readers after this. The bird sang in my ear and said, yes you can in the least polluted way and my dog Skooby barked his approval with a loud woof. So here it goes my dear readers, A Very Happy New Year 2022 to You.

Past and Future

Just turning the calendar page,

does not a new year make,

promises made not promises kept,

new year will come and go,

nothing will change if we don’t.

---

Photo by author today morning.

A Special Day

A Special Day?

Hope is what is special
Of this day in the year,
Otherwise it is the same,
Will come and pass
Like any other in twenty four hours.
And tomorrow we shall be
At each other’s throats,
Fighting over trivials
And stoking our egos,
Grandstanding and raising
A tempest in a tea cup
For this cause or that.
But for a day or so,
We shall wish
Happiness, peace and prosperity to all
(all the while sharpening our knives).
So let’s be real friends,
On this special day
Give hope a push,
And get up from your butts,
Reach out and share,
And do what you can
For prosperity for all.

---

Oh, I forgot. Have a wonderful New Year’s Day.
May the New Year 2020 be full of joy and happiness and fulfill all your dreams.
Now, was I sincere in saying that?
Ah, what does it matter,
It’s just another day.
HAPPY NEW YEAR.

I was having my morning coffee and as usual going through whatsapp messages on my cell phone. Obviously today it was all about New Year’s wishes, a few lines personally written but 99‰ cut and paste and forwarded messages. As I was sipping on my coffee, the poem started to flow. That’s my personal feeling, no intention to hurt other’s.

Back From My India Trip

I came back from a month long trip to India on New Year’s eve afternoon.  I had a fourteen hour layover in Seoul, South Korea.  Not sure if I picked up some bug at Seoul or during the flight back to San Francisco, by night time of December 31st, I was sick to my bones.  As my family was still back in India, I tried to take care of the sickness as best as I could.  However things went from bad to worse and by the time my family came back from India I was a mess.  To make a long story short, 2018 started for me with sneezing, sniffling, runny nose, body ache, fever and topped off with a lingering cough that did not show any sign of going away.  Ultimately after ten days I went to the doctor today to ensure that I did not have secondary infection.  It was raining here from yesterday and visibility was poor.  It took me forty five minutes to get a parking place in the hospital and I was half an hour late for the appointment.  Luckily all the appointments were running late and I was able to see my doctor who assured me that there was no secondary infection and rest is the only thing I need to get well.

So here I am hoping that I can start where I left off at the end of November, 2017 and 2018 will be rewarding experience of blogging.

Wishing a belated happy, prosperous and wonderful New Year 2018 to all my readers.

Last Sunrise of the Year

Gentle, golden rays
Of the last sunrise
Of the year
Peeping through the shades
Cajoles me
Rise and prepare
To greet the New Year

I question the
Golden rays
Sun is not new
Rises every day
What’s new in a
New Year

With a wink
Twinkling, golden rays
Smiles and say
Sun is steady
But the earth revolves
Every sunrise is a new day
As the earth
Completes the circle
Comes the
New Years Day

Golden rays paused
And said
Sun shines on
The rich and the poor
The old and the young
Healthy and infirm
Humans and animals
Makes no distinction
So rise
Spread the good wishes
All around
New Years celebration
Not for the rich alone
Poor and the downtrodden
Have the rights
For hope and celebration

So here is to wish
A Happy New Years to all
Peace be on earth
Joy, happiness and health
To everyone
Welcome 2016
Ring the bell.