By: Debasis Tripathy

Summer smoking breeze shows no forgiveness,
The dogs have since long refused to bark,
They lie lifeless, drowsy with the heat
Hoping to breathe, only when it’s little dark.

Rivers, ponds and canals have run dry, barren
Fishes move deeper, wherever there is a little water,
It’s a naked feast for the crane, egret and heron.
Death breathes life into others, ready for slaughter.

Swaying in the wind of hot Odisha summer,
The mangoes gather under the old tree,
Juicy and inviting, they belie the thirst all around
Assuredly the fruits of mother tree are free.