Reimbursing Buxom

What beauty, a flower bequeaths,
That drapes every speck of misty dew;
That sheathes every measure of the glen;
Around the craggy mounds around.

What fragrance, a blooming bud,
That insipid chill among hills;
That perplexed heart to beauty;
Amidst the itinerant rivulets of life.

What petals on Yule day,
That zany elf, that petty doe;
That dwells the domicile;
Within that perpetual misty vale.

Written in the year 1998, having just completed my matriculation, this poem describes in verse the beautiful season of Christmas. Reimbursing Buxom literally translates to an indemnifying completeness. It resonates the hope of joy and peace that Christmas promises in our lives despite our unworthiness. The coming of Christmas brings with it the sweet sound of the bells and the cheer of the country folk.

These verses were written in a sombre and morose mood, reflecting on man’s meanness and greed versus peace and tranquility that nature bequeathes during the Christmas season, despite the chilly winter nights. The beautiful hills of Kohima, the capital of the Indian state of Nagaland, is the backdrop and inspiration for the poem.