Oh Lord!
Never have I urged
Before your Highest Court
To change things
Upside – down
Dr. Bhawani Shankar Nial, renowned poet from Odisha state of India, shares his poem
Internationally acclaimed poet Dr. Bhawani Shankar Nial was born on 6th July 1968 in Kalahandi district, Odisha state of India. He is also a Human Rights Activist having worked all over India. He is founder of many social, political and cultural organizations. Originally, he is an Odia poet, side by side he wrote in Hindi. He published three anthologies in Odia, two in Hindi (Unpublished), two anthologies in English (Lockdown and an Encounter with Death). He is the Editor of magazines ‘The Surjya’, ‘The Kalahandi Express’, and ‘The Bande Kalahandi’, the Chief Editor of ‘Mahuri’, a Literary Magazine of the State of Odisha. He is the Chairman of Mahuri Award started since 2008 to felicitate those who have a great role in contemporary literature. His poems have been translated into 20 languages including English, Italian, Russian, Serbian, Chinese, French, Polish, Arabic, Albanian, Philippines Vietnamese, Urdu, Bengali etc. He got International Awards like International Ambassador for Peace by WLFPHR, Bhuttan; Global Peace Ambassador by Iqra Foundation, India; Global Star Award by Global Footprint, Bangladesh; Police Material Art Award by South Korea; Literary Luminaries Award-2021 by School of Art and Poetry, Nizeria; Doctorate Confer by Maxican Morocco Cultural & Humanitarian Alliance. His two poetry collection ‘Lockdown’ and ‘An Encounter with Death’ had been published by Blue Rose Publication London and New Delhi and An International Poetry Review named Tapestry of Words by one Greek Prof Irene Doura-Kavadia published by Writers International Edition Athens and Mysore India Bring attention In Global Literary Platform.
NEVER PRAYED BEFORE
Oh Lord!
Never have I urged
Before your Highest Court
To change things
Upside – down
To disturb the seasonal cycle
To bring rain or
Alter the very concept
Of love like the battle plan
All of a sudden.
Or
To declare zero hour
For divorced relationship
Or
To construct a poem
And appreciate it
Or
To know your Master Plan
On life and death and
The rebirth and the utter
Silence thereafter
Or
Never have I desired for
A handful of time
For the future to
Restore sunrise
In my library.
Or
To know my fate
In thy Sat-Chit-Anand
Swaroopa.
[Original in Odiya titled ‘Abedana Kari na thili’. Translated into English by Dr. Tapan Kumar Rath]
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