A pair unique

 

A pair unique

 

Never fading grace

ever smiling face,

suave and sweet  lip

as if pitfalls never them, grip,

honeyed voice pitch

to all that bewitch,

calm composed frame

that adversities never inflame

no showoff, lifestyle simple

ornament Paramguru couple.

Bina and Raju, a pair coveted

before birth heavenly knotted

on this earth's crust both together

hand in hand shoulder to shoulder

completed their five-decade journey

in an exemplary conjugal harmony

prevailing over time's cruel play

and keeping the three miseries of life at bay

rearing their two daughters to flourish.

their services to the society people cherish,

on Earth, being a godsend illustration

to arrest the drift of His creation

Then, to felicitate

as our classmate

on their wedding date

with enthusiasm in spate

we with our spouses waited a lot

to have a repeat of their nuptial knot

and for a treat in a grand way

but the pair had their own say

slipping away from the scene in silence

but for us  that spoke with eloquence

Elude they can never, a classmate

on their plans, private

to have a feel of  their first meet

with deeds to reminisce and repeat.

They needed a place far from the crowd,

purposes behind, to us, sound loud,

or might have gone, they, to a temple

to pray the Lord together as a couple

and to pardon each other’s betrayals

for their ablutions and dismissals

preventing it from going in the Western way

where being fed up with a long  conjugal stay

on separations wed they times umpteen

a jubilee in their life is hardly seen.

Raju dear and Bina madam

As a couple, pious, awesome

yours is devoid of any strain

never treat it, as a malicious campaign

but take it, as your classmates’ fun.

being frustrated  by undone expectation

Acknowledge we, your ways, unique

that in silence articulately you speak.

Without pomp and show

you allowed to go

your jubilee golden

to make it a special occasion

extending its span to cover

many a classmate’s get-together

including your diamond wedding day

to celebrate, then in the prevailing way

then in a space station high up in the sky

where we together will dance with spirit high

to cope with it with sound health we must stay.

that form your deeds the message, we assay.

Are you not unique in such a decision?

we friends tell you’re a pair unique in unison.

The six decades's span

on wedding days if we scan

on the pomp of celebrations

obeying practices and traditions

held in the past, practiced at present

to be held in future  distant and imminent

from palanquin ride to spacecraft flight

kerosene light to natural cosmos light

with many a similar variation

imply that Eden is our destination.

This is dama contemplation

on your diamond jubilee celebration.

Dam our dear classmate

with nostalgia in spate

reminisces the bridal procession

from Jamdel to Chabndpur, bride’s destination

in torrential rain

as if  holy water from the Heavenly fountain

to prevent this divine show

All attempts and vows ended in a fiasco.

The bridal procession was then modern

with Raju in a car not in a palanquin lighted by a lantern

,
muddy path In dim daylight

and two sides priests’ fight

Sumptuous dinner, sleeping in a schoolroom

fled at dawn the accompanists of the groom

Chandpurean should not see their faces

that their tradition professes.

Hey  Dear Bina Madam

Raju is our friend, bosom

say we, to Bina spinster

on Rasju’s enviable character

Chaste  honest, and the best

his spouse would be heavenly blessed.

To you Raju’s classmates’ gratitude is overdue

associating with Raju as a spouse, true.

Listen madam with attention

on Rasju, his classmate’s revelation

as for him, they know better than you

Take it as the general public's view

Rajkishore! You remained unique

your silence always speak

Your each failure

is to you, the Lord’s favor

The human injustices to you

as excruciating as we may view

but served those, as blessings, divine

as your successes over failures determine

Lifelong the intent you have shown

to remain unrecognized and unknown

Faltered you feel as a man common

but you are a special and an exception

we see in laurels you, those adorn

for your caliber and wisdom, inborn

In your failures, it is your success

claiming your laurels, that we assess

A thesis with international recognition

no doubt over shadows a job after graduation

This failure is a blessing in disguise

acknowledges it, a man, wise

Teaching lines at various levels eluded you

but your job was the best that we view..

Recognized this, our Alma-mater

with a rare award, the most sought-after

Outstanding Alumnus of the institute

your this recognition, none can refute.

your recognition as scientists of eminence

by the world over is proof of your excellence.

with contributions from behind

your successes Bina had designed

You are a pair, unique

examples many to speak

a search for your recent photo to gaze

could only find your photo of wedding days

your silence speaks with eloquence

as felt by us since  our teenage

your one word could then synopsize a page.

Our classmates' union

is your sole contribution

that kept us in a close tie

where with teenagers’ spirits high

united we stay forgetting our old age

and thwarting its rampage

Your presentations were fabulous

for the award of Outstanding Alumnus.

Produced they, seven awardees of our batch

the number, any batch is yet to match

in the last sixty years in our Alma-mater

of this picture, you are the producer.

On our auspicious occasion

your wedding anniversary golden

from our hearts' abyss

wish you both health, happiness, and bliss

and pray to the Lord to dispel

on your life three miseries spell

with peace in self and nature

and pacifying divine forces’ anger

and  gratitude for your friendship sweet

and lifelong loving treat.

 

P K Routray

in the service of the Lord