A Detached Star From The Galaxy Poem by Aftab Alam

Surrounded by hillocks-pretty small village,
Called Ishu Chatti-full of nature's privilege,
A brook followed amid beautiful Saal forest
It covered three fourth, wide roads the rest,

Mangra sole son of widow; fourteen years old
Handsome, robust, smiling n shining like gold
Free from schooling, helping his old mother
Green Saal leaf gatherer -daily used to gather,

Mother used to make Dona and Pattar for sale
There were many such families having life of gale
Bi-weekly fair, sale and purchase and lots of fun
From near town, villages -a pilgrimage like run,

Mangra got in touch with people from the town,
A hard working robust; body like steel gown,
Got married with Tetri of near village-crowned,
Mangra's job is done by her without any frowned,

Now Mangra a detached star from the Galaxy,
He became a driver and drove a private taxi,
Soon he was gifted, a daughter named her Gracia,
'Struggling life-earn more-among the acacia '

Want of more-dragged him into ditch-life of city
Made nice house-he was rich now in his capacity,
Then he went to Bombay with his friends-far,
Indulges in many acts; happy life now with in jar,

Initially he used to come once or twice in a year,
To have more happiness and joy got many dear,
He trapped himself in the world of hatred-negative
Fallen sick and died with the report—HIV positive,

Now all dears gone far and far living him alone; cried
At the corner of his life-he lay his sweet memory-dried,
Tetri and Gracia -the lost dream -breathed within him
Leaving everything what he earned, as a curse whim,

Returned back to dream world-lean and thin; the gold
Sheltered in village church, hiding with dusky fold,
Gracia a beautiful girl was to be wedded today,
She was waiting for her daddy to come today,

Then he saw Tetri whom he ruined as a legend,
He stood and identified with her eyes-Ah! End,
He narrated whole story to the Tetri, and she,
Listened all and whispered- still I love you, ,

Mangra told-I am infected -suffering with AIDS,
‘You have confessed with the soul bright-fades ‘
Tetri hugged him, for me you are my God,
Today, a precious day, come to church my Lord,

Took him to the home and after bath-decorated,
All frustration gone, no one is frustrated,
After wedding ceremony was over, all enjoyed,
Mangra stood up and loudly said; I annoyed,

With the life of blindness, Blinded with the lust,
Greedy became I, gained evil and lost everything-just,
Earning is not bad but the blindness-I'm a convict
In the court of Tetri and Gracia- ruined the verdict

Killed the Love of Father and the love of husband,
He started singing village song like child-no band
For the want of more money reached God's door,
Once earned more and more then closed the door



Mangra—Tetri, Gracia - Name
Dona-Bowl of Saal leaves
Pattar-Plate of Saal leaves
Ishu Chatti—Village name
Saal—A tree tribal worship this tree