THE FALLEN LEAF

O my fallen leaf of pausa  
why did you fall  
forgetting your cradling  
on the green boughs ?  
Is the kiss of the grey earth  
sweeter, dearer  
than  
the blue embrace of the sky ?  

Last spring  
when you came  
as a new bride  
drenched in shame  
wearing a pink saree,  
to welcome you 
the sweet moaning shehnai of  
lakhs of bees echoed;  
but  
today  
when you fall silently  
why are these tears of sorrow  
in the eyes of pausa ?  

O fallen leaf,  
Pausa's fallen leaf,  
what have you left for me :  
the embrace of the blue sky  
or  
the kiss of the grey earth ?  
  

Translation :
Sanat Das Patnaik