Επιμέλεια: Εύα Πετροπούλου Λιανού
Short Bio: Nandita De nee Chatterjee is a writer, poet, book editor, freelance journalist and Senior Editor with Chrysanthemum Chronicles. An Indian Defence Forces daughter, she grew up in various Air Force stations where her father was posted. She did her Master’s in English literature and English Hons. in Jadavpur University, Kolkata. She was a freelance journalist writing in The Telegraph during her university days. Subsequently she joined Economic Times and continued writing for mainstream news dailies. Her work covered children, welfare, labour and human interest subjects. She taught Media Ethics in MA Journalism Dept at the University of Calcutta for 7 months. She is a Co Author in 64 Literary Anthologies including 7 Coffee Table Books. She is also the Editor of 5 literary books and 2 literary journals. She’s received numerous digital literary awards and 2 Peace Ambassador awards. She’s a Senior Editor with Chrysanthemum Chronicles Publications.
Beyond this day… By Nandita De nee Chatterjee
Did you respect her
Yesterday?
Flowery sobriquets pile up
It’s March 8
Will you respect her
Tomorrow?
Will she walk by
Without leering eyes
Wolf whistles from worthless guys?
Will she be safe
In the workplace?
Safe from advances?
Worse! Rumours?
Will she be heard
In a dissension?
Her opinion matter
In the home?
Will she pack up her talents
And bury them in the backyard,
Lest some egos get hurt?
Will she actually be acknowledged
In life’s journey
Or make do with platitudes?
The platitudes pour in today
Are they to pacify her?
Tokenism done!
Life rips off its masks
And the ugly faces rear up!
9.3.2023 – 10.58 pm
A Basket of Goodness By Nandita De nee Chatterjee
I got myself an Easter basket
A cornucopia of goodness
Plump fruits and fine breads
Fresh and wholesome
Kind apples, merciful mangoes
Calming melons, wise bananas
There was space for more
So I scoured the market
Diligence, duty, responsibility
Humility, simplicity, empathy
Abundant all around
My basket was now bursting
So I threw out a few stale stuff
Pride had to go
Fear, of course, first
Negativity above all.
Enough for now, I guess
Together they’ll serve me right
If my basket I keep by my side.
9.3.2023 – 11.21 pm
