Sunset

The sunset in my town
no longer feels the same
Sound of temple bells
is lost in the rush of vehicles
The vision of birds flying away
is obscured by tall towers
Prayer from the mosque
struggles to fill the air
with its divine melody
The pubs swarm with
loud disco music
The crowd bustles, pouring
drinks and smoking cigars
The green pastures are gone now,
the shepherd doesn’t blow his flute
The old banyan tree is dying,
abandoned by birds and squirrels
The calm water of the river
is now filled with junk
The sky is covered with dense
smoke and I fight to spot the stars
The serenity of the once pleasant
evening is lost with heavy voices
The sunset in my town
no longer feels the same
It doesn’t pause a little,
feel a little, and is growing very fast

Mitra Samal lives in Bhubaneswar, India where she is a software professional with a passion for technology and literature.  Her latest book of poetry entitled Beginning: Poetry from Heart was published in January, 2018, and her poems have been published, or are forthcoming, in Poetry Society India, Muse India, Borderless Journal, Madras Courier, Setu, The Punch Magazine and FemAsia among others.  She also participates in poetry open mics. Mitra can be reached at @mitrasamal in Instagram. Read other articles by Mitra.