Ahead to Platinum

Ahead to Platinum

 

Hey Dear Jyohsna and Kailash!

Pray we, for you the Lord gracious

to bless you  with His divine thread

to keep you knitted for your jubilees ahead

diamond, sapphire, platinum, and beyond

with health and happiness in a harmonious bond

on your auspicious golden jubilee wedding day

to you both our applause and obligations we say.

for your service to steel industries for a period, long

enduring all odds. the gratitude to you both belong.

At her childhood days,

Jyoshna at seventy gazes

reminiscing her grandma’s tales

to her childhood dreams, she sails

the princes on horses with wings

the palatial life of queens and kings.

Travels with a girl, such an image

modulated by her growing age

peeps this dream, in a girl in her teen

in her future to be a queen

to a crowned prince handsome

With numerous aids under her thumb

some to dress her hair,

some to put on her wear

some for ornamentation

some to sing in her adoration,

with power and wealth bountiful

devoid of wants, life seems wonderful.

Thus Jyoshna, on her way to college

propelled her dreams, the knowledge

planted by the company of companions

and  the capital city’s alluring  attractions

offering posh living to the most,

with the display of its ladies, who boast

of their possessions in any form

proving that they are above the norm

white color jobs with salaries, fat

with misuse of chairs, their hubbies sat

inflating the income to family pleasure

to raise their status as a social measure.

On their hubbies’ official decisions

proclaim they, their participation

An illustration by the way

known to Jyostna I submit to say

“ A scheduled electrical line shutdown

for own convenience, such lady may turn down.”

but now with a regretful sigh

Joshua finds them in society, high

after six decades or so they are better off

with pension and pelf that she used to scoff.

Sensing parental worries and preparations

modulated she, on her prince‘s identifications

what a teenage rural girl can do

further study, she wanted to pursue.

To honor parent's wishes

her ambition she misses.

Kailas being  a student studious

to excel in his studies he was serious.

Being from a school in his own village

at girls, to have a glance he lacked the courage.

Many being his infancy friends playing with toys

his heart at core deprived him of growing age joys

Born and brought up in the rural backdrop

opportunities to watch the silver screen never hop

nether for pubertal exciting novel available to excite

to go astray he had nothing to fight.

Strike marred one-year coeducation

could not he face pubertal provoking examination

at our Alma –mater for five years

engrossed, he in study competing with peers

then started his career in a steel plant

on the family front with attention scant.

Arduous is a job of a manager at fore

·        managing man and materials on the shop floor

·        answering any targets shortfall,

·        rushing to the plant at break down call

·        at odd hours be it night or day

·        even cutting short his vacation stay.

Drenched in pollutants

dust gas and lubricants.

bearing noise beyond the limit,

foul smells digesters emit,

working on molten metal flow,

fluctuating temperature to his woe,

risk fatal working with electricity,

and in gas and liquid the toxicity,

beyond a limit, heat radiation,

proximity to high high-speed rotation

molten iron flowing like water

the fatality of hazard one can infer,

safety of man and machine

despite hazards umpteen.

day in and day out for months and years

indeed Kailas You the society revers.

So also to Jyoshna your consort

you could perform with her support.

Jyshna and Kailash had no voice

on the groom or bride, any choice.

It was their parents’ selection

they have to comply with the direction.

Ensured it, also the  unions

of two dynasties at distant locations

unions of two societies with varied missions

and a wholesome union of traditions.

Being separated by rivers and then in spate

wedding processions could not go on a path short and straight

from Raghunathpur to Patamundai not far apart

not covered by foot and palanquin but bus and car to cart.

A month after the marriage reception

to Rourkela his official destination

Kailas managed to take his better half

might be, he managed, from Plant a telegraph

as a rural daughter–in–law

Joshua's burden mercifully he saw

or he wanted to ensure at plant his presence

maybe, the love of plant may be the essence.

At Rourkela, he took Jyoshna to a rented house

furnished it, made it worth living to impress his spouse.

The reception by juniors and seniors and peers

at Rourkela were to Jyoshna’s cheers.

After days three to four

Kailash started to his shop floor

dot on the sound of the siren

that frightens the environ.

Often prior to this hooting sound

on his bike her hubby, she found

with a thin box carrying his meal

the sight dampened Jyoshna’s zeal.

Uncertain was the time of Kailash’s return

even on holidays for plant his concern

made Kailash proceed to the shop floor

leaving Jyoshna to cry at her heart’s core

Often Kailash retunes home smelling bad

fully soaked in dirt and sweat jaded and sad

but in it his dedication she abundantly found

that raised her regard for him  by leaps and bound

used she to this way of  life in due course

trying him of family burden without remorse.

Hats off to you Jyosna for this yeoman deed

which prospered plant and your family indeed.

on superannuation with no pension with regret, none

in harmony, spending time in the garden they live with conjugal fun.

I am sure Jyoshna got her prince on a horse with a wing

aids in galore for a short period in your adoration to sing

but you both made your family tree worthy of you

to sing for your dynasty forever with value.

 

P K Routray

in the service of The Lord

 

(N > B (My classmate Kailash Parida got married to Madam Jyoshna on 9th July 1973. This (poem is composed in their honor on the eve of their golden jubilee.)

·