Independence Day of India – My Reflections

By

Hillol Ray

At the arrival of the month of August,

Independence Day of ours is already here-

While recollections of my memories flock,

And those, with you, I like to share!

Formative years on my Motherland

Still jingle on the nooks of my mind-

So, when I walk on sands of time,

Tales of tale I always find!

Decades of my life have acclimatized

On this far away new adopted land-

And lifted the veils of Motherland slowly

With a strong but mystic hand!

The rocking chair on which I sit on now,

Takes me back to my childhood days-

And rekindles my deeper thoughts,

Like the reflections of bright sun rays!

Oh my Motherland, today,

I miss your silhouette touch-

With a fondness of caring me,

To say: thank you so much!

On the hot days of summer,

I walked on your dusty streets-

Full of haves and have nots,

Getting or missing the royalty treats!

Green meadows of your forests

Ushered in the arrival of Spring-

While I took the morning walk,

Perturbed by the bikers’ “cring”!

Childish curiosity drove me to places,

Like your caverns and lakes-

While the flora and fauna of mountains

Fascinated me, with bright snowflakes!

Dew moistened green grasses

Provoked my eyes, and bare hands-

To touch and feel the salient beauty

Of your vast open meadows and lands!

Winding rivers of yours enchanted me

To follow where they mingled with seas-

And soared my dreams in heavenly places,

To look for national happiness keys!

Through your ancient temples,

Churches, mosques, and tombs-

You sowed the seeds of secularism,

Among knowledge, maturing in wombs!

Via science and technology today,

You have achieved the global fame-

And the roles of your political leaders

Swing superpowers in nuclear game!

The sacrifice of your loyal martyrs

To end the long colonization rule-

Makes my head to bow down,

And teaches: non-violence is the tool!

Well, the adopted land of mine today

Has inundated me with material thing-

But spiritual values I seem to lack,

While my despair continues to sing!

With waves of time, I will float away

To rest with eternity in peace-

But the love for you, my Motherland,

Is forever, and assured not to miss!

So, before I conclude for now, today,

I must say with a proud voice-

That our 69^th Independence Day is here,

And I love you dearly with own choice!!

“Milestone”

Garland, Texas, USA

August 15, 2018