Clusters of pods from branches of hornbeam
hang like Chinese lanterns pregnant with dream –
tales of transformation witnessed collectively
is theatre, experienced solo becomes prayer,
the journey from chrysalis to butterfly,
waking with desire, an aviator defying gravity,
a mountaineer scaling peaks drawn
out from the core of a changing world,
spinning, tiptoeing on a slippery slope
like trust in the face of uncertainties,
luck when the chapter of life is coming to a close,
alchemy turning the worst in us to our best,
unafraid of failure, taking risks, following our dreams,
seeing for the first time, eyes and mouth
opening wide with wonder, lovers swirling
in ecstasy on the dance floor, walking
on top of the world, bottom of the sea together
like earth moulded by wind, water, ice and fire,
knowing time will change all we cherish in our globe
taut as a belly with foetus becoming human
where we like gods are defined by what we are not
except Love that is everything and excludes nought.
Shanta Acharya, DPhil (Oxon), was born and educated in Cuttack, Odisha. She won a scholarship to Oxford, where she was among the first batch of women admitted to Worcester College. After completing her doctoral degree, she was appointed a Visiting Scholar in the Department of English and American Literature and Languages at Harvard University. Since 1985, she has lived and worked in London. The author of twelve books, her most recent publications include What Survives Is The Singing (Indigo Dreams Publishing, UK, 2020) and Imagine: New and Selected Poems (HarperCollins, India, 2017). Her poems, articles and reviews have appeared in major international publications. As director and founder of ‘Poetry in the House’, she hosted monthly poetry readings at Lauderdale House, London, from 1996 to 2015. In addition to her philanthropic activities, she served twice on the board of trustees of the Poetry Society in the UK. www.shanta-acharya.com
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