Awakening

In ancient looms of my homeland, Fairies once shuttled across threads of rainbows Weaving folklores of gods and goddesses. Our tapestry needed no haberdashery of Brabubahanas and Chitrngadas or a vijay panchali, For no tantric-needle knitted our folktales. I want to go back and melt in folk songs Of shamans, who rejoiced in carnival of ripening rice, Possessed by jingling moans of a pena. I want to orchestrate, one more time, the ballad Of Luwaopa and Koubru Namoinee, and Feel the heartbeats of Henjunaha and Lairuklembi. I want to burn my poetry in immortal angst Of Khamba-Thoibi, and blow the ashes On winds above Loktak's gentle ripples. I want to defy traditions, once again, By falling in love like Chingsompa and Panthoibi, and Tell the world I inherited their sweet arrogance. I want to retrace petals of Thainagi Leirang, leaving no stones unturned, Until I find the lost quill in ruins of alphabets. I want to ask children of my land To perform Eemagi Pujah by planting a Madhabi On the stage of another Shingel Indu. I want to revisit a forbidden village in my past, and Reopen the second chapter of Jahera Sitting by the old mosque with a green door. I want to hear young Khongjomba sing Lamphel Patki Kombirei, while I sip chilled Atingba From a bamboo mug, in a karaoke bar. I want to see Pidoinu dance in a discotheque To the exotic tunes of Khulang Eshei, while Her Moirangphi floats with iridescent embroidery. I wish to put my ears on grandpa's clay courtyard, and Listen to Leipaklei's sprouting sighs in a crack, For the last time in this lifetime. Finally, I like to be frightened again by Tapta, and Wake up in a faraway dream where My homeland shines as silvery as the milky way. Note - Names of mythical characters and entities from our folktales, history and books are used in the poem. Pena is a stringed traditional musical instrument, played with a bow with tiny bells, of my homeland. Loktak is a lake in my native state, which is the largest fresh water lake in eastern India, where the world's only floating wild life sanctuary lies, on which the almost extinct brow antlered deers known as Sangai, in native dialect, are preserved. Atingba is a locally brewed rice beer. Leipaklei is a rare orchid which sprouts out of cracks in dry soil/grounds.