The Fullmoon of Vaishakh
SUJATA PRIYAMBADA
The moon that rises
Over the world today
Will light up with ghostly pallor
the debris of frustration and failure
of ages gone by...
the dust of
the launching-pads of nuclear warheads
the menacing bases
of man’s fear and hatred.
The moon shedding its light
on a fear-racked world
implores man
to harken
to the message
of Buddha
of peace and compassion
and all-illuminating light and
knowledge.
–Translated from Oriya by Acharya Shantibhadra