Mask

Original (Odia): K. Biplab
Translation: Arun Dash

This mask 
That you see covering my face
Got its rightful place
Back in my schooldays
To shield me from
My teacher’s cane lashes.

The older and shabbier it gets,
The sturdier it becomes, 
The shinier sparkles 
My character certificates.

This mask 
Makes my life easy, 
Holding my head high
In all decks,
Like those free ducks 
Swimming in the lakes.

This mask alone
Gets me all respect,
So much so, that
Seeing my ageing parents 
Rot in old-age homes,
Pushing them into 
A sea of sorrow,
I still can earn
Praises galore.

Truth is, 
This mask –
Even with a heart so deceitful –
Has kept my life so blissful!

Copyright © Arun Dash. All rights reserved.