Som Nath Ghimire
Hungry Children
They fled their village and arrived at your city
Look!
In your Civilized City
How the public façade masks callous hearts!
Each child has ancient sorrows on her forehead
Engraved by your divine destiny
Each day, a big crowd throngs your holy throne
And in the midst of your oblivion
How miserable!
From morn to night, the hungry children are carrying the hymns of your throne
Like modern Sisyphus!
Godly Houses
Why in this city
Most of the houses are built on your names
And yet, at your doorways
Sleepless shivering children continue to hold a begging bowl full of darkness?
Evensongs to God
God!
Do you recognize me?
I have been living in your Desert for ages
Like a shepherd who grazes thirsty cactus
I have been waiting for you
In front of your holy door
Would you open it?
I am old and sick now!
I wish I could sing evensongs for you
The darkness of your vision!
The painful holy tunes of yours!
And the ugliness of your Houses!
Your bleak ambience and unkind oblivion
Your Civilized City has!
I wish I could offer you my Begging Bowl
Before I return to my remote village,
Where there are no gods!
Where there are only Solitudes!
[ Mr. Ghimire has earned MA in English from Central Department of English, Kirtipur and is currently MPhil Scholar at Nepal Open University]