My Village School

My Village School

Often I look at my infancy
seeking out the treasures of fancy
the way I had begun
to be one to learn a lesson
and the prior period of transition
From my babbling pronunciation
with elders, at those, making fun
from watching others in actions
to apply those on imitations
with well-wisher’s correction
modifying my deliberation
from arms of elders and games of toys
to be one among school-going boys.
I fondly remember
my mother reading her prayer,
my grandmother
counting on the tips of her fingers,
anger, of my brother, elder
When in his inkpot I put my finger
and his book and notes I discolored
To his study arena, me, he censured.
An earthen slate once brought for me
short-lived a life, crushed under my knee.
Reminisce I attempt many by elders
to drive in me an urge to cite numbers
and memorize a prayer to pray in the evenings
under darkness fear to evade evil beings.
Reminisce I
with tears in the eye
From memory lane, hazy
at an age above three
accompanying my father
groomed well by mother
went to the school in the village
carrying a new colored baggage
from our house, not far away
but was beyond my field of play
coaxed by my mom and dad
lest my mood might turn bad.
Then, with gratitude, I bow
They made me what I am now
On their dream of me
not then but now I, well see
To be a student, the best
learning better and faster than the rest.
Earnestly they did yearn
in the village school, I should soon learn
to read and write
and to memorize and cite
to ascertain the numbers
counting them with fingers
then use of mental faculty
with growth gaining maturity
in my way to enrich my wisdom
fathoming theories are awesome.
While, then, searched, I,, avenues
and friends to choose
to make fun and play
being scot-free the whole day.
My destiny, my parents shaped me to run,
left to me it would have been uncertain
Teachers there lovingly patted me
Playmates galore there I could see.
Thus to the school was my initiation
continued to university till graduation
from the age of four to the age of twenty-one
leaving far behind the childhood fun.
Unaware of the role of social status,
no difference, we found among us
except some for their strong physical and mental
looked at them with respect, out of fear of internal.
Some students in age, older
some grown stouter and taller
were classmates to read together.
Some were irregular, and some used to come late.
They made loving teachers irate.
Some left the school before completion
to help their family profession.
Lack of parental persuasion
owing to pressing conditions
made some to lag behind and left the school
to aid their parents with professional tools.
Here I pause to reflect on their life show
beyond village school, those who did not go,
chose their professions, ancestral
or on land farming ways traditional.
Naive I am to compare the contributions
their and mine for the welfare of the commons.
Teachers there, adores forever, my heart
their loving and frowning face it cannot part.
Each name and each frame with the cane in hand
bless me often to be righteous as I stand.
Hey Guruji, you are no more on this earth, mortal
but in my heart’s abyss, you stay immortal.
Our classes had a long lunch break
time to rejoice at its thoughts, hearts ache
Lunch at times in school, took we,
Most often we run to houses for free
only to come back horridly to play with friends
as the cruel bell rings and the rejoicing ends.
In classes, we fought and gossiped a lot.
Punishments were sure if we were caught.
The thrill I still feel in my frame
time for your robbery, you, I blame.
Smile I at friends who want to be in fore
against classmates complaining they used to pour
Instead, they got irate teachers' punishment
for us, it was a lesson, latent.
Located on the bank of a mighty river,
my school has a cool breeze the year over
with a picturesque backdrop,
melodious sound nonstop
aligns student's mental setup
in harmony with the environment, we grew up.
With mud walls and straw roof atop
bamboo as tie beams and at walls to prop,
the school lived in harmony with the environment.
Her students and teachers were no different.
With well-ventilated lighted classrooms
in a healthy atmosphere, students, school grooms.
To add to the school, the grace
for the health hygiene of the place
students and teachers jointly contribute
that brought total harmony without dispute
On the earthen floor, we sat
over palm-leaf mat
carried from the house daily without fail
knitted from palm leaves, a hand work to hail
Enjoyed we
classes under a banyan tree
on a movable board teachers display
pronouncing together in the teacher's way
at the top of our voice in the chorus
made the siren atmosphere, melodies
easy way for us to remember.
Never have we committed an error,
learning with environment
a method Indian way, ancient.
out of incidents many
bring smile being funny.
Must I touch upon our football play
with much await bought from a shop far away
On one kick it fell on the bush of cactus
ending our dream with much fuss
as we hailed to restore the ball
The cactus thorns are too much after all.
As ball cactus syndrome, it we call
to remember the pains of the heat of all.
The perennial river flowing close
as a boon to the man and cause of his owes
taught us to soften and toughen that we need
for the river natural reverences in us did breed.

P K Routray
in the service of the Lord