................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

DREAM


The very five letter word we call Dream
No matter King or Beggar, Rich or Poor
Young or Old
Everyone cherishes dreams in their life.
Dream to establish, dream to have nice house
Dream to have nice partner
It is all Dream, Dream, Dream.
But the question is how many times it comes true?

Dream can be melancholy or dream can be happy
The good thing is when you dream in your sleep
You hardly can remember when you wake up
That's the Dream you never feel sad
Because its not true.
But you have to Dream
Because it is part part of your life.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

Memory For Ever:
Playing Musical Chair
With the Mayor
for Jill Fraser
10.06.2007


Jill Fraser. The distinguished person
With a distinguished name. 'The Mayor of Camden'

It was a sunny summer day, 2006
I was asked to join Family Sport Event
By the Boys of Surma Centre
          Regent's Park

It came in my mind
The Mayor is coming to
Open the event! I came and waited
          For her to arrive.

A big car came, and there she was:
A beautiful Lady in her pink
Salwar Kamiz - Indian outfit.
          The Lady Mayor.

She was surrounded by people
          Who wanted to greet her.

In due course
The Event started.
There were many games
          Mostly for children.

I was asked to join the game
For the grown-up ladies
Called Musical Chair.
          Jill joined too.

Jill and I stayed side by side.
It was the moment when we became
Just like children trying to secure our seats.
          But we didn't win.

Soon Jill and I were out.
But during our play, I saw Jill's face
A little girl, enjoying her past
          Forgotten days.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

WHY WE ARE PURPLE POETS
29.05.2007


Do you know
Why it's called purple?

Don't ask me
I haven't got a single clue.

Some people think
Purple signifies jealousy.

But to me
the colour is stylish

See those purple poets
Go marching one after another

To recite their poem
In a majestic way.

I call them Pow-Pow
The Perfect-Profile

By the way, for your information
It was the colour of this year

In Chelsea Flower Show
Mostly Purple flowers everywhere

But no Purple Poets
This year.

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Bithi Das

STRAWBERRIES
31.05.2007


Strawberries are like roses
Full of beautiful secrets
Roses are red
and so are strawberries

You snip the rose
and only one word
comes from your mouth
……………………..….Aahha

you eat a strawberry
and it melts in your mouth
……………… you say Aahha.
It is nothing but eternal pleasure.

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Bithi Das

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM
31.05.2007



You just can't think strawberries without cream
The combination of red and white.
Represents the Purity and Reality
Very British.
It represents Britain
Without it, there would be no play in Wimbledon.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

TALE OF JOY
Written in Bengali and
translated into English
by Bithi Das
18.05.3007

[BENGALI]

I called them Joy and Jemima.
A wood-pigeon couple.
From last year June
I see them in my garden
In the morning
Every day on my wooden fence
At the back of my garden
No exception.

[BENGALI]

There are lots of big trees
Like oak and maple
In the back of my garden
It came in my mind,
They must be living
In one of the big trees.

Every early morning
They come down on my fence
To bask in the sun,
Staring at each other quietly

After ten, they go away together,
Don't know where,
Must be in search for food.


[BENGAL]

One day I woke up and saw it was raining
But Joy and Jemima - they are there.

Jemima spread her wing
To take rain water in her body
She wanted to take a bath.

Joy quietly started to come nearer to her
But Jemima was so angry. She fluffed her body
Looked at Joy, full of anger.

Joy went back to his place quietly again.
I was surprised to see the love and despair
Even in these birds.


[BENGALI]

I went away to Kolkata for a few weeks
When I came back, I saw Joy,
But no sign of Jemima
I waited a few days but Joy was alone,
He still sits on my fence every day.

Again I had to go away for my travelling
And this time a bit longer.
When I came back I was so eager to see Joy
But nowhere is Joy.

[BENGALI]

The grass has overgrown in my absence.
I have to cut the grass.
When I came to the garden
I saw underneath my fence
Lots of bird feathers
Scattered around.

My God - it was my Joy's feathers.
Cat has killed Joy.
I gathered all the feathers
I buried them underneath the big tree.
I had no strength to cut the grass.
Went back indoors to take shelter
In my pillow.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

MONTENEGRO: WILD BEAUTY
written in Bichici (Montenegro)
27.05.2007


Romans called it Black Mountain

I call it Wild Beauty.
Montenegro.

Hardly any people know about it.
Ask me where is it?

It is a little democratic state
Former Yugoslavia

Came here twenty years ago
On my way to Albanisa.

Capital called Podgorica.
It was Titograd twenty years ago.

Yes, it has changed a lot.
A lot more shops and hotels.

Tourists are pouring down
From all over Europe.

Mostly Autrians and Germans
Yes, British as well

To enjoy the Sun
And natural Beaches.

I called it wild, because everywhere
Beautiful wild flowers give joy and happiness

To people
Like me

I fell in love with its rugged mountains
Flowers and clean blue AdriaticWater

It is my hope that one day you will come here
To enjoy the wild beauty

As I have enjoyed myself.
Dobor Dan, Montenegro.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

The Real St. George
12.04.2007



St. George.
I saw his statue first in Zagreb
Underneath his feet was lying The Dragon

His eyes so fierce-full to kill The Dragon
The Dragon's eyes were on him
Asking for mercy.

Above him,
The Little Red Flag was flying bravely
Courage and braveness.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

PEOPLE
29.01.2007

I haven't seen Jesus in heaven
But I saw him in this world
                     Surrounding us.

I saw him the other day
                      Driving the bus.

I asked him if he could take me to the station
It was before 9 a.m. He looked at me
with smiling face asked me to get in the bus.

I didn't see any angels from heaven
But I saw them in this world
                     Surrounding us.

They are born with the virtue of angels
Always giving care and comfort to others
Saying - We will miss you and think of you.
They are here in this world
                      Surrounding us.

I didn't see any devils from hell
But I saw them in this world
They will try to show their power
Using unkind words for the sake of jokes
They are dark and ugly
And you will always recognise them
                     By their acts.

Really, I don't know heaven or hell
But I do know they exist among us.
It is  the people who make heaven and hell in this world
                     Surrounding us.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

A LOVE POEM
by Bithi Das
15.02.2007

Love - the word you hear from your childhood
"I love you mummy"  you say when you are a child
"I love you darling"  you say when you are an adult.


But what about unspoken Love?
Have you ever had in your life
It is more romantic when you feel


I had love in my life in the the past
But it didn't last.
          We have been parted miles and miles away.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

T-A-P
12.02.2007


T.A.P. What is it? Is it a dance?
Is it a Tango at Park?
No - No- No, you fool
Haven't you heard of it?
It's called Third Age Project.
Oh - yes, is it for people like you and me?
Yes my dear.

I am going to tell the story to you.
Its birthplace in Crypt Centre, Munster Square
Ten years ago - 1997
Since then it is growing and growing
Like Banyan tree.
The people who come here, all feel free
Like we do, you and me.

Here you learn lots of things
You never before had a choice to try
Poetry, Pottery, Drama, Keep Fit, Tai Chi,
Darts and Arts and Crafts
These bring you pleasure and happiness
You lose nothing but you gain love and friendship
All the people say

Only a handful of people happened to be here ten years
Edna, Jean, Kathy - the three musketeers
who can tell the story.
Many happy returns T-A-P.
The truth is, we always with you want to be.
Our good wishes on your Aluminium Anniversary
You are ten years old

Good luck and God Bless
All your loving friends .

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

REBIRTH
21.09.2006

If I die this winter
My body will die but I shall be alive
and come back to your garden.

You will see the white snow-drops,
the first blossoms in spring
after the harsh snows in the winter.

The snow will melt
but the snow drops
will be everywhere.

As the spring brings new life and hope
you will hope that the garden
will be alive again.

But you won't know I am there
and it is me who has born again.
The bird will sing and I will dance.

You will smell the fragrance of mine.
But you won't know.
I am there.

I am born again in this beautiful world.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

IN CONJUNCTION WITH MY POEM 'REBIRTH'
THIS POEM IS CALLED 'REVIVE'

REVIVE
By Bithi Das
15.02.2007

No I didn't die this winter
       To be born as snowdrops in this world.

Instead, I went to see the snowdrops field
        In Rococo Garden in Painswick Park.

It is spring, and everywhere snowdrops
     I wanted to greet them to say hello and how are you?

Two days earlier, the snow fell heavily
       Snowdrops were covered with snow.

They became one with white little flowers
       Peeping all over the field.

I sing to them "Snowdrops keep falling on my feet"
       They dance to me saying "I love you."

No, I didn't want to go from this world
        I wanted to revive.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

Antarctica - The Impossible Dream
(Written by Bithi Das, who says she may be the first Bengali lady to put foot in Antarctica)
17.01. 2007

An impossible dream

An - Tarc - Tica ---
That's the very dream
Of Shackleton and Scott
But how can I make it?
~ I am only a young little woman
Of 71

So many problems -
Diabetic --- High Blood Pressure --- Arthritis in Both Knees -
Not fit to walk properly at all
But that didn't matter to me anyway.
I have to go to Antarctica
To see Penguins - Seals - Beautiful Blue Glaciers


The kingdom of ice.

Once I decided
I didn't have to wait long
I went to "Discover the World to Antarctica"
at the Earl's Court  DESTINATION travel show
I thrilled as I talked to Nikky who booked my voyage

I waited patiently for one year
And set sail 28th of November 2006

I had to go to Ushuaia (the last town in Argentina)
To catch the Russian boat called "Orlova"
Named after the Russian Ballet Dancer

It is a thirteen day journey
We have to cross the dangerous Drake Passage
Two days and Two nights
To get to the South Atlantic Ocean
The waves were 18 feet high
Dancing madly
And our boat was nothing but a toy

We were 104 dreamers from all over the world

Most of us became very sick
I lay down in bed for two nights and two days
No breakfast, no lunch, no dinner
Then after two days everything was calm.

We are in Antarctica.

The boat stopped at Deception Island
To see penguins. Next day we landed
At King George's Island
To see the Russian and Chilean Research Centre
We landed on this island to have our passports stamped
The proof that we were in Antactica.

Next day we came to Neko Harbour, the Mainland
It was only penguins marching
One after another
To get to their nests.

Stepping onto the land of Main Antarctica,
I felt I have achieved
So much in my life.
I came back home full of joy.
My dream has come true.

Next, I go to Lapland.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

MY JOURNEY TO PAKISTAN
20.07.2006

dedicated to Mr. Mamoud of KJTI Tours
(Karakorum Jeep Treks International)
www.kjti.co.uk


Pakistan
Do you know the meaning of it?
The land of Purity.


It was one of my dreams
To come  to see the land
Where Alexander's tired soldiers broke
Their journey to settle in the
Beautiful valley called Kalash.

There is a place called Khaplu
Where Chinzis Khan's descendants
Still live in their mongolian look.
It is history and I wanted
To see it.

In the Group there was Ken,
Simon, Sharon, Susan, John, Derek,
Ray and Stewart.
We had one desire in common,
To see Pakistan.

We travelled thousands and thousands
Of miles crossing rivers, mountains
Valleys, and of course, came to know people.
Came to the view point where Himalaya
Karakram and Hindukush met.


The snow-caped peaks
Stood in front of me in their majestic way.
I felt, if there is heaven,
It is here and the presence of God
In front of these gigantic mountains.

I felt I am no one .

Yes, it is the land of Purity where
You will find from children to old waiting
To greet you with their joyful voice.
No crime, no robbery,
Poor but Honest people every where.


At the end, it just came in my mind
These words - VINI VIDI VICI
We came, we saw ,
And we were conquered
By the heart of the people.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

MY MOTHER SAID
13.01.2006

If your right palm is itching
You are going to get some money
I always used to believe that
          But it never happened to me.

So many times I had the palm itching.
But to my surprise
It was I who had to spend money
          For some reason or other.

Now I am a mother
I never tell the tale
To my younger generations
          It is only in the mind.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

FROM MY WINDOW
October 2005

From my window I see my Garden, it needs tidy up
I like to be in my garden because it needs me.
In my Garden, I see a robin who sings non-stop
To cheer me up.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

ODE TO KATHY
by Bithi Das
14.12.2005

Our honourable little Kathy
She always looks very happy
Her smiling delightful eyes
Can be compared with divine sky.

She has no foes but only friends
And everybody runs round her with a hand to lend
Kathy we all wish you the very best
Because you are the ideal example of rest

May God bless you darling and
Wish you a very Merry Christmas

Your loving friends
Third Age Project

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

THE MYSTERY
20.07.2006


I remember my childhood when I was six years old
My father every day used to go to work early in the morning
One day, early morning ,I saw police in our house
My father didn't go to work and 4,5 policemen were
Asking him many questions.


I didn't understand what was happening. Then after
Ten minutes they took my father away.
I was frightened that I would never see my father again.
I cried and cried my whole morning. Didn't go to school
Instead went to bed ---


                                    --- until late morning
When my father came back. My mother
Told him what had happened to me.
Father held me up in his arms and said "darling
I am back don't cry for me any more."


It was the happiest time
But until now I never
Solved the mystery of why Father
Was in the police station
In the first place.

................................................................................................................
Bithi Das

STORY OF A RED ROSE
Valentine's Day 2006
13.03.2006

Laos the country. I am going away.
I come to Heathrow earlier
So decided to have a drink to feel easier.
Café was upstairs
So I took the escalator

Just in front, there was a bagel café.
There was a young lad opposite the counter
Who served bagel and tea to me.
I went to the nearest table and then
Suddenly I felt somebody near to me

The young lad with a red rose in his hand.
He smiled and the rose was offered.
I smiled and felt I have been honoured
Oh yes, it is Valentine's Day.
I went down to check-in.

There was a handsome lad in the desk within.
I liked him and I think he liked me too
He gave me a gorgeous smile and I
Gave him the rose.
We understood and said nothing.

I had the fun, so I had to run
And this was the end of my Red Rose Story.