As the April sun shines over
The ripe and unripe mangoes.
As the dusty roads lead to
Fruit-bearing shrubs and
Fully grown Jamun trees and
Those sweet blackberries-
You should have the mind of
The summer to understand
Those parrots who leave
The cashew-apple half-eaten.
And as it rains and the July sun
Shies away to the gloom
Put up by the nimbus clouds.
The kamikaze go into hiding
To bring out the paper boats-
One should have a mind of
The monsoons to understand,
The shudder of the lush greens,
That's transferred to the dogs
And the drenched vultures.
The December sun who withdraws
Himself as the fog surrounds
Everyone's better sense.
The kids that refuse to wake up
Early in the morning and
The dew drops on the Chickpea leaves
That call for the harvest-
One should have mind of winters
To understand those sheeps
That lent you their wool to warm
You in a shawl your uncle brought
When he went to hitchhike in
The terrains of the Himalayas.