Poetry

The Power of Poppy - 11

Rajendra KshetriNever ever underestimateThe Power of PoppyThere is a sway of Poppy in the virgin landA powerful force to events unfolding in the landA force antagonistic to co-existenceA force hostile to environmentalismA force detrimental to human existe..

Ethnic strife in Manipur - The reality we all endure so far

Dr Ranbir LaishramAmid ongoing ethnic strife for monthsWhat one sees today -Strife -torn deserted villages and ghost townsBuffer zones guarded by armed forcesHilltops decorated by bunkers and guerrillasWhereas, a lonely dog stands and whines all night in ..

The power of poppy - 9

Rajendra KshetriNever ever underestimateThe Power of PoppyHome Is not where you were bornHome Is where Poppy is plantedHome Is not where the heart isHome Is where Poppy is grownHome Is where Poppy is harvested...

In the stillness of night

Dr Ranbir LaishramAs the sun sets at the horizonDarkness engulfs the green oval valleyAnd the night grows more quietAnd the stars become more stillWhen all the world is at restAnd mother nature in restful sleepBut her children have an eerie feelingOf fear..

Time’s ceaseless voyage

DepiyaThoudamTime as always, on its ceaseless voyageLike grains of sand through fingersLike a river’s unrelenting stream It flows unceasingly, waiting for noneIt wouldn’t hinge even a little bitEven if we beg it to stay, that’s its ..

The Power of Poppy - 8

Rajendra KshetriNever ever underestimateThe Power of PoppyWhere have all the roses goneWhere have all the paddies goneWhere have all the guns came fromWhere have all the bullets came fromPoppy fires a fusillade of bullets...

The last gaze that makes the heart of millions weep

Dr Ranbir LaishramWhat Crime the tender soul has committed ?For which she has been butcheredThe innocence in her faceHer deep powerful gazeLooking at a far away distance - her homeA gaze earnestly pleading for rescuing herFrom the clutches of Indomitable ..

Time’s ceaseless voyage

Depiya ThoudamTime as always, on its ceaseless voyageLike grains of sand through fingersLike a river’s unrelenting streamIt flows unceasingly, waiting for noneIt wouldn’t hinge even a little bitEven if we beg it to stay, that’s its creed..

For those who stood

Nirbason KhunjamayumTo all MeiteisTheir sacrifice a reminderFor me and for youA tale of strength and honourThrough the annals of timeTheir stories unfoldIn every sacrifice,A legacy to beholdTheir dreams and aspirations,Forever aliveIn the hearts of Meitei..

The Power of Poppy -7

Rajendra Kshetri Never ever underestimate The Power of PoppyThe hills are blue and lovelyPlants trees and woods are aplentyDense forest it was And happy was NatureThen came Poppy...

The Weary Traveller in the Ethnic Conflict Zone

Dr Ranbir LaishramWhat lies beyond the conflict buffer zone?At the foothills and green hilltopsCapped with thatched bunkersAnd people in  combat dressI can't know what lies aheadUntil I reach the edge of my villageI fear the journey long thoughAnd my..

The Power of Poppy - 6

Kshetri RajenNever ever underestimateThe Power of PoppyPoppy requires no hard workWhy work hard and labourPoppy fetches you billionsPoppy gives you Passport to the KingdomWhere angels fear to tread!..

Forgiveness

YashimaDeath is a sure promise,Even if we don't kill one another,We are sure to die one day. Smiled together yesterday,Who knows you will be crying at his funeral the next day. Anger doesn't bring anything but chaos and regret,There's none a greater virtu..

The abandoned swallow’s nest

Depiya ThoudamOnce again I stare at it The abandoned Swallow’s nestA woven cradle, finely spunTwigs and leaves artfully arrayedAn intricate architecture it isI still remember the day so clearWhen two swallow birds with zestLabored tirelessly wi..

The Power of Poppy - 5

Rajendra KshetriNever ever underestimateThe Power of PoppyPoppy takes you to a world of fantasyFantasy of a 'homeland' out of nowherePoppy makes you build castles in the airHome Is where Poppy is cultivatedHome Is where Poppy blossoms...

The pain behind her silent tears

Depiya Thoudam In the midst of sorrow and grief,She weeps silently in the darknessHer soil soaked with her own tearsOf countless nights of distress‘A jewel of India’ is what she is calledJeweled by nine beautiful hillsWith the string of love a..

The Power of Poppy - 4

Rajendra KshetriNever ever underestimateThe Power of PoppyA beautiful flower Poppy isAll that beautiful is not beneficialPoppy is the only flower which deflowered virgin forestsKill Poppy or else Poppy brings you apocalypse...

The Power of Poppy - 3

Rajendra KshetriNever ever underestimateThe Power of PoppyPoppy creates a world of illusionAn illusion that treats literacy as educationPoppy generates poppycockPoppy undermines the dignity of labourKill Poppy or Poppy gets you killed...

Sisters and brothers

Thongram Birjit Singh @MatamJust yesterday you called us Oja Today we are enemy of yoursWe shall overcome some dayYour chance is surrender to winLift the white flag upThere's still a chanceCome down and call us Oja againThere is a big space in our heartsA..

The Power of Poppy - 2

Rajendra Kshetri Never ever underestimateThe Power of PoppyPoppy makes the rich richer and the poor poorerPoppy pauperises peoplePoppy corrupts and Poppy power corrupts absolutelyPoppy makes politicians blind to people's plightKill Poppy or Poppy des..

The Power of Poppy - 1

Rajendra KshetriNever ever underestimateThe Power of PoppyPoppy plays politics of the third kindPolitics of disharmony, hatred, separation and balkanisationPoppy addicts and destroys youthsPoppy makes them do what they should never doEither you kill Poppy..

Ethnic Conflict and Strife in Homeland -The Road Ahead !

Dr Ranbir LaishramAmidst  the social unrest and violence of the ethnic strife in our homeland,We all sail through an arduous journey to an uncertain future.The road ahead is rough, unpredictable and full of hurdles.While the world is sleeping at nigh..

Whither Ima Manipur ?

Dr Ranbir LaishramHours and days passed by,Our homeland,a tiny dot on the globe,With an insignificant land mass,Is facing of late, endless unresolved ethnic related issues,Claims and counterclaims,Blames and counterblames,Conflict after conflict,Unending ..

Peace by peace, we can do it

Ranjan YumnamEverybody wants peace, but nobody is willing to drop the gunsIt is as if an epidemic of violence has gripped us,The disease of vengeance has engulfed the body politicXenophobia has penetrated both sides for an elusive All-or-Nothing outcomeEv..

Conflict and Strife in Homeland

Dr Ranbir LaishramConflict and Strife among ethnic groupsAlso warfare in our homelandOften consume our neighbours, brothersand sisters.It has been a part of our life of late.Despite conflicts and cost of living crisis,There is "Inassailable hope"To bring ..

In Search of Peace Amid Chaos

Dr Ranbir LaishramAmid the chaos outside,Fully aware of the world outside,But my mind displacedMy inner self dwells in a bubble,Deep inside my own world,A self - made cocoon,It's millieu unpolluted.Is it the only way to get solace and peace ?In times of u..

The Good Old Days

Dr Ranbir LaishramI wandered in time, Till I found myself playing hockey With my friends at the village Playground after school hours. Twas then that I found myself in the best of spirit and strength.The hockey stick was a uniquely curvedBamboo shoot..

Awakening call to our hon’ble leaders bewildered

M SushilkumarIs this the reason, this the sceneThese tensions and turmoil.That will replace our peaceful co-existenceThis tearful gloom for that hearty smilesThis breathlessness and the restlessness for that cheerful soundnessThese mournful gatherings for..

History - A New Perspective

Dr Ranbir  LaishramEvery creation in the Universe is a historyEvery soul on this earth has a history behind him Also his present doings will become a history, a moment later.Some store his invaluable life experiences,Deep inside his immortal spirit,T..

Comfort Zone and Days of Yore

Dr Ranbir LaishramLooking back the days of yore,Where - Amidst a fulfilling life,Greeneries and adequacy all around,Peace and harmony among natives,We all dwelled in a world of simplicity,Under the care and guidance of the elders,Secure and pleasant;A lif..

Mother to all

Leishemba LoushambamMother to me;Mother to other 8’ billions.From grassy plains to Blue skies;Over the hills, Down the oceans.As sons and daughter of you, dearest;We, as together acquisitively reside on your lap.Ah! How merciless your children are!E..

An Ode to my House

YojnaI have a house in Dong busty Peshok tea gardenWe used to grow tea, oranges, cardamom, vegetables and spicesWe lived with two cows, one pig, many hens and a dog named BuluOccasionally wild boars and monkeys used to visit.Our house faced north towards ..

Embracing Chaos in the Jewelled Land

Dr  Ranbir LaishramA tiny speck on the globe,With a meagre land mass, Guarded by nine mountain ranges,A home to varied ethnic groups,There in the 'Jewelled Land', Every soul is seeking,Justice,peace and harmony;Order in an organised chaos.Amid claims..

Spring is Here in My Farm House

Dr Ranbir LaishramThe frosty wintertime has gone by,No more morning dense fog and cloudy mind,Cold breeze no longer touches my face,With the arrival of 'Cheiraoba Festival',The sweet Spring is here in my farm house.Spring is a time of wonder,When the spri..

Fierce tale of Winter

Shahnaz IslamI bring your scent home tonightTucked into the folds of my odhniLeaving my fragrance inside your heartEmanating sweet nectarA whirlwind in madnessWild winds in the wildernessChimes of twinkling starsFew burnt weedsChaos of dark woodsAn evenin..

Shower's Power

M Minakshi DeviIn a cloudy night, laid I burdened by life's strife,Sought I a slight respite from my mental blight.Then, a sound met my ears with a melodious might,When a balmy bird came to my sight.Its hymn hiked my spirit to a high height,That begot a b..

Freedom in Life's Journey

Laishram Ranbir SinghIn the vast ocean of life,Unaware of its ever-expandingDepth, breadth, and purpose,We all sail through the voyage.On some days the sea is stormy,Other times, it is calm and life is beautiful.Often,in the course of life,I look back on ..

Quenched

M Minakshi DeviAfter  days of building a castle in the air for a downpour,The miles of unrelenting blue seemingly ashy now.Clouds billow towards us  pushing through the bucolic and town,Unexpectedly as if some miracles on the earth are to be bro..

Drowned

Shahnaz Islamme, I’m drowningDrowning to the bottomDown and deeper....Like an anchorCome you better hold me now by the shorethe store once celebrated our life merrily.Strings are not attached between us.I know..Ah! Pain or pearls found in the sea-be..

Drought

M Minakshi DeviIn the drying sand on the firing landWhere the rays of the Sun,Makes everything crumble and burn.The forest is ripped and dull.There are butterflies around wilted flowersThat has ripped wings and  downturned colours.The sickly thin cat..

Ballad For Gloom

Adison MoirangthemGod please help me.It’s my SOS call.Wouldn’t you hear my words?Send me a saviour of my life.Deep inside the bottom of a strong whirlpool,life of mine is in extreme danger.The quagmire of life pulls down every step.Love to see..

Pole Star

M Minakshi DeviFor a long drive at dusk, whenever I ride a top- less car,Search I across the sky for a stable star twinkling afar,Me to lead as an ardent guiding star.Choose I the Pole Star, me to gently guide.For, living me and the night- sky it never hi..

Parents

YashimaNot once have we slept with an empty stomach,Not once have we walked barefoot,Even when there isn’t a penny left,And all the troubles, right and left,They haven’t had any complaints,hiding away the pain behind scoresand scores of smiles..

Owner of Translucent Umbrella

M Minakshi DeviStrolled I restlessly outside a random cafe,Whilst the hazy sky looked seemingly fine,Though I could envision a light shower.Yet, in forbearance, I wisely chose to wait.The air stirred soon later quite like a mad mammoth,The clouds then loo..

Strength within pain

M Minakshi DeviA vibrant soul, with a voice like a dove,A rosy glow that radiates from her face to the Globe.Her words like a melody, her laughter like a tune,She brings joy to all around, under the Sun or Moon.Behind closed doors, but,  a different ..

The Wrath of God

Ningthemba ChingsubamFar from this waterlogged villageIn the middle of the man-made lakeThe belfry steeple stood, emergedPointing high up into the clouds.It seems to narrate an untold storyOf the village, submerged under water.God made the villageBut man ..

When I die

Nongmaithem KherodaWhen I dieTake me into the deep woodsLay me down nakedSo that I can feel the soft grassesCover me with the blanket of soilAnd leave me aloneSet me free from your chaotic "society"And I shall be sleeping peacefullyTo the forest's lullaby..

Happiness

Chiliyana ChingakhamAnd one day he said “I am not happy”.She asked in her soft tone what was the matter?With despondency he replied“I am not happy with you anymore”.She winced, with aghast to his reply.Poor fool, little did he know..

The Village Playground

Bahena OkramClang! Clang! Clang!The school bell went...As the clock struck three,Came the joyful facesWith whistles and laughterOf the much- awaited freedomLike flocks of sheeps in a ranch.Threw the tattered satchels to bed,Took a morsel off the steel pla..

The New Year Resolution

Dr Ranbir LaishramFirecrackers and beating of drums everywhere,As the clock struck midnightOn the last day of the year 2022,Awakened by the sound of my dog barkingOn a chilly winter night,I woke up thinking of the new year's  resolutionThat lay befor..