A Woman Saviour of Mankind--By Aju Mukhopadhyay--India

A Woman Saviour of Mankind

When on 16 April 2014 Sewol, the South Korean boat,

Was sinking with 476 passengers on board

Frigid water filling up its hold

And the crew with its captain fled

Betraying all the hopes of the passengers

There appeared a courageous woman head

Rising to the occasion, raring to go ahead;

22 year old young Park Ji-young, a cafe worker

Took the lead in helping children and half-dead sea farers

Supplying them with life jackets, courage and burning hope

Keeping not a single jacket for her to elope

Promising not to leave till a single of them remained.

Many were saved but she was drowned.

Among the dead by the divers her body was found,

Buried in chill watery ground.

A savior of mankind, entirely humane

Igniter of the sacrificial fire

With the fire glowing within her;

Inspired by the Divine will and bliss

She lives in man’s heart for her selfless sacrifice.

It is a pleasure to announce that Aju’s book of poems, Time Whispers in my Ear released recently, at www.onlinegatha.com

Aju Mukhopadhyay, a bilingual award winning poet, author and critic, writes fictions and essays too. He has authored 32 books and received several poetry awards from India and USA besides other honours. Recently he has received Albert Camus Centenary Writing Award, 2013 from Canada / Cyprus. He is a regular contributor to various magazines and e-zines in India and abroad. He is in the editorial and advisory board of some important literary journals. His poems and short stories have been widely anthologised and translated.