My Bengali Brother (Poem)

“The good is oft interred
With their bones”
No, his good deeds and
Laughter will stay with us;
It will endure, memories will only
Radiate brighter with time

He (VG)
Was one-of-a-kind 
A very unique person
With a flair for classy things
Of life –
From locally produced Maple Sugar,
Crispy Cortland Apples, luscious juicy
Southern tier peaches to
Date Palm Sugar of India

He tried to peek
Thro’ the foggy windows of time
And visualize better times
For humanity; he
Wanted better crops of sugar,
Newer tuber crops and 
Community gardens with heirloom tomatoes

Always loved the aromatic
Madurai Malli, Kakinada Red rose,
Jasmine Grand Duke, Michael Champaka,
Or the rare redolent Hosta (plantaginea)

A lone Cyclamen or a puny Curry Leaf plant
Will keep him happy and buoyant
Through the hard winters
Of Central New York
Once
He cooked a
Pure Vegetarian lunch
With handmade (ghee fried) puris with cauliflower curry
Made me totally feel at home –
A home away from the Indian subcontinent

He was such a sweet
Bengali friend; I miss you
Rather, we all miss you
So early, so soon
We can’t utter goodbye now
Barely we’ve started understanding each other
Yet we must …
Wish you the best on the onward journey

Copyright 2025 by the author

Hosta plantaginea (A Flower Poem)

Hosta plantaginea

I first noticed you

On the Columbia campus

Perhaps during the Orientation

Ceremony

The landscape workers

Meticulously pruning, spreading

The aromatic mulch mixed with

Compost

Your white jasmine-like slender

Flowers immediately pulled me

Born in a tropical village with

Luscious green and abundant flowers

Spread throughout the year

I’m drawn to flavors and flowers

But the sweet scent, varied pleasing 

Aromas of flowers always

Captivates me; it takes me decades

Back into childhood and

Energetic youthful wanderings

Then

I’d lie idly happily

In my mother’s lap

With a gardenia peeping from

Her oily hair

Playing with my sisters

And their loquacious friends -

Always smiling and giggling

With innocent secretive 

Discussions

Scores and scores of

Functions, marriage ceremonies,

Interesting discourses, plays,

Dance and music programs

They all had fragrances

Roses, jasmines, Michael champaka –

You name it from Tuberose to the most 

Exotic type of Oleander 

The ladies in south India

Loved the flowers

They pampered them

Every house had it then

They have it even now

You’d see in the front yard

Near the gate

And

On the terrace

Beckoning the night stars

And

Offering rendezvous for the young lovers

Copyright 2020 by the author