Flowing melodrama

Sebastian Rodrigues

Mobile rang, left pocket vibrating. Heart raced into river zuari and strife come alive. Zuari witnessed tensions and clashes of fishing technology and sustainability. Sanjay speaks. Body veins, Fish, Shell dredged. River bed screams. Depth in cry and crisis. 

Sanjay goes in fishing every morning for decade and a half. As a child and father cultivated vegetable in shrubs where today stands Goa University. For the sake of education Sanjay sacrificed living and livelihood. Now dives into Zuari to catch fish that eludes him for too many trawlers, mini-per seiners, casinos, marinas, coal, mining barges and water sports intruders.

Inside room
toddler runs amok 
with razor

Children's Court and other fascinating poems from Snehal Busa

CHILDREN'S COURT 

Our principal did bad things 
With me and my friends 
I told my mother 
That would be in school ,her end 
We fought in a court 
Which is made for a child 
We went in police station and a case we filed 
I wish she go soon in prison 
That is also with a big reason 
Then she'll feel the pain she gave a child 
In school 
It was her mistake and she was a big fool 
I thank the children court 
To fight for my right 
And my parents too 
Who made my life light .

Snehal Busa
(This poem I had written in march And this all I had written was true. My principal really tortured me )



GARDEN 

I have a big garden 
Anything can be hidden 
It has beautiful flowers 
And water that showers

My garden has many trees 
Thats why there is cool breeze 
The grass is so thick 
That my cat plays hide and sick 

Garden garden 
My fancy garden 
Without you 
My life is barren 
And I can't live life
which is forbidden.

Snehal Busa
                            

GOLD FISH 

In our aquarium we have goldfish 
Long back in my dreams I had wish 
It made me so happy 
And no more snappy 
I have kept it in the hall 
And in an aquarium which is in a shape of ball
I am happy withy gold 
And I will never give it to any one 
Because I know they'll turn it 
Into a dish.

Snehal Busa
             

MY MOTHER'S SHAWL 

 My mother's beautiful shawl ,
When she wears it ,she look like a beautiful doll
The shawl is so thick ,
So my mother doesn't fall sick .

She wears it when she goes out ,
But if we play with it,she shouts .

My mother's beautiful shawl ,
Was hung in glass cupboard for all to see .

Once she  kept it in front of a kitty ,
Later she draped it for a party.
When she spotted in it a big hole ,
It pained my mother's soul .

Mother cried ,"my beautiful shawl."
Father said ,"we'll purchase another one from caculo mall."

Snehal Busa
                                               

WHAT HAPPEN IF WE SMILE

Always smile 
And be happy to do 
For a while 
Not forcingly too .
You are happy 
You never know 
Not too snappy like 
A little snow 
It will melt fast 
Into a liquid 
The sadness will be last 
That will turn happiness solid.

Snehal Busa
      

SQUIRREL 

I saw squirrel near my house 
Running away looking the clouds .
It had a long tail
I didn't know  its a male or female 
It rained very heavily 
Then it cleaned itself nicely 
It ran here it ran there 
At last I didn't know it was where 


Snehal Busa


SITTING OUTSIDE

 Sitting outside I was thinking 
Of taking fresh air 
I saw a flower suddenly 
Which was very rare 

I handed it to my sister 
She loved it very much 
She wanted some more 
She said ,"will you please search ?"

I said to her,"no."
As no more would be 
It was the only one 
That I could see.

Snehal Busa


SHADOW

 Shadow shadow my own shadow 
Are you a good friend or a for 
I know you are my reflection 
So same will be our intention .
Shadow shadow my own shadow 
I have a question to ask you 
Why is that you can't be seen at night ?
Is that you are visible only in bright ?

Shadow shadow my own shadow 
I am very upset ,I want to share 
Because you invisible ,I can't bare 
Are you a ghost ?
That will kill me with cosh ?

Shadow shadow my own once 
I want my answer you are quite 
                       
Snehal Busa


QUESTION ANSWERS

Why can't we survive in space ?
As there is less oxygen my teacher says 
 Why can't I ride a bike ,I doubt ?
Because you are yet 18 ,my mom shouts 
Why can't I call Mr as miss ?
As she is not he my sister whispers 
And why she is not he I questioned ?
As she is said for a girl 
And he is said for a boy my friend replied 
Why can't .... Was the last question 
Before I ask my father something 
But I had to answer now 
As my father asked me a question 
What about you my dear how are you feeling now ?
After questioning so many questions 
Didn't your head go round and round ?
I had a answer ,so what to do of my questions ?
Yes ,my father said 
These all while you asked question 
And now you have given an answer to a question 
But I said ,"dad don't think my answer was a question ?.
                                                 
Snehal Busa


CRONY

when my life was gunge 
I was totally muzzy .
When I was dopey 
You would flick it away .
When I went haywire 
And in murk 
You mad me understand 
In harmony .
But I would be churlish 
And huzard for you and others .
BUT,
It is all changed now 
I have found the bliss in me 
And become indispensable  for me 
As you are my grief and 
And you are my crony .
                       
Snehal Busa

PHANTOM 

 Don't live it all scrappy 
Listen what it want to say 
If so ,really very shoddy 
And still don't stops ,then it will get shirty .
It should not simply be scapegoat .
Its just a scraggy abiotic 
Scarcely ,not that good looking 
But can be a friendly phantom .
          
Snehal Busa

A RAINY NIGHT

You tried to break my heart 
With your pin drops 
Passing from my roof to me 
You filed up the alley with your cry 
You defeated the street lights with 
Your lights 
Your dark faces turned my eyes blear 
My voice was quite when you thundered 
And then after sometime you stopped your jiggery Pokery 
Behavior .
And went to sleep like 
Every year .
           
Snehal Busa

WHY DON'T THE CLOCK STOP ? 

My life has stopped with nothing 
I cry at night why don't the clock stop?
Why has the time left me alone ?
To the unknown and strange world 
Why can't it walk together ?
To the straights and to the molds
I always desire for it to stop 
But the ears are deaf and mouth is dump
Of the clock 
I wish and I wish 
Let the clock stop 
Though it ignores 
I'll always questions 
Why don't the clock stop?

Snehal Busa

TEARS 

How many tears have I lost ?
I didn't ever count them 
It was a big loss of tears 
I think I have now built up a dam 
They so precious to me 
Why had I neglected ?
I don't want them artificial or to be paid 
Why didn't I make them my collection?
Why didn't I do so ?
I just uncared my tears 
And always let them flow .
        
Snehal Busa

     

WILL THERE BE CHANGE IN LIFE ?

No jokers I found in life 
No warriors yet 
Whom should I trust 
I couldn't get .
My prediction ,sometimes is right 
Sometimes wrong 
So stop to think ,
I shout very strong .
I don't know to speak to someone 
I don't know to keep quiet 
The only difference I don't understand
Is what is wrong what is right .
Faces keeps on changing 
But the climate doesn't change 
What is wrong what is right I couldn't range 
Life is a puzzle for me 
Sometimes me myself 
Want to be huge a times 
Sometimes a tiny moon calf .
No matter how long it takes 
To develop from a hamlet 
To a city 
Life may change 
Life may not 
Its little bit twisty.
        
Snehal Busa

THE PORTALS OF SUCCESS

I was too far from 
The portals of success 
Where failure was my companion 
Many hurdles I found on way 
I Saw no night no day 
Through the crooked road 
I was close to my destiny .
Success and only success would lead 
Me nowhere 
I was now very close 
To the portals of success.

Snehal Busa

                    

Snehal Busa's Poetry of Protest

She is Snehal Busa became part of protest that her dad waged in the form of 100 days hunger strike against education department of Goa. She along with her sister and mother were bared bare heat of sun to make their point on injustice she and her family suffered. She as latched inside the washroom and then made to eat her food near the toilet with foul smell everywhere few years ago in Talegao school. Her protest against headmistress went in vain and after sharing with parents she found stream of support. 

While press and public is well aware of her support to her dad's hunger strike outside education department what is not known are her poetic instincts. Here we share three of her fascinating poems here. 'Daddy' is poem she writes to her own dad Balkrishna Busa who carried on 100 days hunger strike, fitting salutation. 

'Ghost' is poem that reflects reactions to her natural black complexion from fellow students in school. Its also sharp critic of racists bias in our minds. Fantastic combat. 

"Being touch" is a poem among other things expresses abandonment by friends in the path of struggle she is walking. All three are fabulous poems. Goa can be proud for having such a Poet amidst us though a growing child still.

Poems are fit to go into school syllabus. On our part we make them public with gratitude Snehal Busa, her mother Geeta Busa and father Balkrishna Busa.

DADDY 
Terrific, dad's don't grow on trees 
Shopping shows don't carry them 
Nor come to you by mail or any kind of sale 
They don't fall from sky 
you can't pull them from magic hats 
no matter how much you try 
In fact, you could look high and low 
And search the whole world through 
But you'd never find another dad 
Who's half as great as you . 



GHOST
Once I saw a Ghost,
I felt he will turn me into a toast,
He had red eyes
He will eat me if I tell lies
I saw it and screamed
I woke up and found,
it was just a dream. 


BEING TOUCH
What a bad luck
I heard them calling me a duck!
My friends didn't support,
Felt like appealing in Principal's Court,
To make me happy, they fell pleading on the floor,
But I got angry and closed the door.

Hand shake

My right hand I extend

Awaits you to reciprocate

A friendship in struggle

On the banks of Zuari River

Struggle is on

Battle lines drawn

On one side are fisher people

On the opposite side are trawler owners

On the one side are fisher people

On the opposite hand are Luxury hotels:

Grand Hyatt and Aldeia de Goa.

On the one side are fisher people

On the opposite side are Marinas.

They all battle for land

On the banks of River Zuari

They all battle for space on river water for fishing

They battle technology and echelons of power

How long, how far

The battle is to spark fire?

How wide, how deep

Trawlers are to play havoc with ecology?

How long State is to condone the damage?

The land that hosts Goa University

Tribal people cultivated cucumber, chilies and more

People displaced to build Goa University

People forced to get into fishing.

And now it’s new breaking news:

Marina in Nauxim

Marina in Sancoale

Fishermen from close and far

Sought to be pushed to periphery

Marinas needed to boost high end tourism

Fisher people but pushed to dead end.

Once Goa University kicked out tribal people

And they turned into fishermen of Zuari River.

Now MPT kicks them second time

And they are to turn into burning coal.

Logic of the system pretty simple and clear

Kick everyone who is not a Brahmin

So don’t worry we are still friends

And I extend my hand for a hand shake.

Sebastian Rodrigues

Welcome to Vanxim!

Cross the ferry and enter Vanxim

Inside Mandovi stands Cross so holy.

Welcome to Vanxim!

Island so serene and beautiful

Sold for a song by Goa Archbishop

Not more than 55 lakh, its official.

Welcome to Vanxim!

Court cases before Mamlatdar

 And Deputy Collector

To snatch away land of mulnivasi Vanxecars

Welcome to Vanxim!

Archbishop indulged in corruption of

Magnitude huge and made Gaunekar Landlord

Welcome to Vanxim!

Archbishop is a Bamon

Gaunekar is a Bamon

Its Bamon Raj all the way smiles and roses

Welcome to Vanxim!

Paddy fields so fertile and so abundant

Bamon conspiracy left them flooded in salty water

Welcome to Vanxim!

Gaunekar sold Vanxim

As if his dowry inheritance

Santa Monica Convent left

With bleeding wounds on memory.

Welcome to Vanxim!

For 50 crore Gaunekar hoisted Ozone into Vanxim

Vanxim battles gambler’s lust and craze.

Welcome to Vanxim!

Mouth of people stuffed with money,

Never must they speak words any.

Welcome to Vanxim!

Government officer stood his ground
Said 'NO' to politicians in transfering Church land in Vanxim
Was targeted on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly
Bamon Raj is uncontrolled, corrupt and on berserk.
Welcome to Vanxim!

The heart of a poet melts in agony

What have you done Archbishop Neri?

Welcome to Vanxim!

You promised to serve God only

Yet how come you turned out

to be loyal  servant of mammon willingly?

Welcome to Vanxim!

You sold Vanxim only to ignite a spark,

Dark cords are ablaze with might.

Welcome to Vanxim!

You sold Vanxim & triggered crisis

of faith in many,

What is your long term plan

to commit this act so nasty?

Welcome to Vanxim!

Poilice to arrest women of Vanxim

NGO to wage war proxy,

Why do you burry in sadistic slurry?

Welcome to Vanxim!

Poets’ responsibility to speak out boldly,

Those silent are guilty of sins of Ommission.

Flag marches on with a mission.

Welcome to Vanxim!

You claim man of God

 and beyond Public Criticism,

Tell me why you put Vanxim in grave jeopardy?

Welcome to Vanxim!

You cannot escape answers to these questions,

Mercy of God be with you,

Flag of Justice never sink in oblivion.

Welcome to Vanxim!

Swiss accounts stocked your black money

Only to make notorious bankers richer,

Yet Vanxim will not accede to be poorer.

Welcome to Vanxim!

With a might of a Lion

Vanxim will roar,

In a bottomless pit Satan’s agents

To be shunted forever.

Welcome to Vanxim!

Vanxim is beautiful and no doubt about it,

No one has right to defile it.

Welcome to Vanxim!

Wake up my friends,

Shoot words like a spear,

In your hands and voice Vanxim now oh dear,

Welcome to Vanxim!

In God the Christ we trust,

Archbishop betrayed us

Speak out loud

Till prayers reach heavenly crown.

Welcome to Vanxim!

The ring of bell

Sounds call of the grace,

Its time to march with

Children ahead.

Welcome to Vanxim!

Battle lines drawn the day Vanxim was sold,

That day February 11, 2006

Action filled with secrecy untold.

Welcome to Vanxim!

To carry the light in times so dark,

To be water amidst drought.

Welcome to Vanxim!

Sebastian Rodrigues