THE HIGH PRIESTESS: A MYSTICAL BEING
T. V. Ramana
Amidst hills of red Sanders, there lies the valley.
The valley of mangroves, a chosen land for breeding.
After the summer the mystical event unfolds:
—the breeding of various butterflies.
Piles of twisting and twirling tiny creatures.
Swarms of caterpillars fall like raindrops from the trees,
On trees, they are more than the leaves,
Tender beings crawl here, there, and everywhere,
amazing the elated school children.
Bring new changes to the routine life.
Golden hairy caterpillars grace agricultural fields,
crossing fields and roads endlessly,
A mixed reaction from people—some foresee luck,
others fear crop destruction.
But the birds invite them with sweet songs.
I stopped my bike in awe pondering over delicate beings,
seeking answers in vain from the forces of nature,
I approach the graceful white butterfly,
which sits unmindful of my presence.
I asked her, "Why choose this land for breeding?"
A red butterfly interjects,
"It's the wish of the High Priestess," replies fluttering its wings.
Curiously, I inquire further, "Are there guiding spirits for each clan?"
"There are guiding spirits for each clan and species,
as in the Irish tales and legends," she replies.
Out of curiosity, I request her to see their High Priestess.
"It's right in front of you", "The White One”.
She reveals dancing and hopping in the wind.
But as I look, it's not there—it has vanished.
Is it a butterfly or a mystical being?
I drove off my bike from twilight to night,
With an overwhelming strange sense of mystery:
Into the dark woods from agricultural fields,
Across the ghats of red sanders with winding curves:
Chasing the dawn and seeking the shades of truth.
Lt. T. Venkata Ramana (T.V. Ramana) is working as a Lecturer in English, at Government College for Men(A), Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, India. Sri T.V. Ramana has over two decades of teaching experience. Currently, he is working for his Ph. D. on K.V. Raghupathis works at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar State Open University, Hyderabad. He has participated in several seminars and conferences and presented papers. His articles have appeared in journals and books with ISBN. He is credited with having edited the book, The Poet Speaks: Interviews, Conversations, and Dialogues with K.V. Raghupathi (2023).
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