During the late modern era of Indian history before the Independence, a group of Kalingan refugees floated to an island of the Andaman group. A man among the fellows lived with his eleven-year-old son and wife on the abandoned island. Due to the scarcity of food and health accommodations, they planned a voyage to the mainland of India to provide themselves with proper help, and in that voyage the man went leaving his family behind. The little son of him is waiting for him with stories of those long nights.

I’m on the bay.
On the bay, they left from

I’m not sure when they’re returning
Till then I’m on the bay.

Maa was in the cabin
In the cabin, next to the shore
On her bed, while her last breath
It’s been three moons already
I’m alone here, lonely sometimes.

Until they arrive
I’m on the bay
On the bay, they left from
Apekhya re.

Ba said to me
It won’t take long
It’s only a matter of nights.

When they left
They took a bag of our yard’s drupes
It would’ve finished since they’ve arrived
I don’t know where they would’ve been
Till then I’m on the bay.

The geriatric fellow
From the other side of the Butte
Doped, there was a windy rain
Rained the day they left.

He says they might’ve not survived
I should move to the village
I should not live alone
But despairing me
I’m going to wait
Till then I’m on the bay.

We could’ve ate those
Ate the roots edible, fruits edible
We could’ve tried the fish dead,
Still a bit afraid of the ailed
Maa left me in the same state.

I won’t catch the ill
As I’m on the other side of the hill.
Yet staying away is all we need,
Still a bit afraid,
Cause I’m alone and lonely sometimes.

No choice left,
I’m still going to wait.
You might not come to from where you left.
On the bay.

.    .    .

Meta Terms:

• Kalingan – people of Kalinga i.e. Kalinga, is a historical region of eastern India
• Islet – a small island
• Bay – a broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inwards 
• Maa’ refers to ‘mother’ in the Odia dialect
• One Moon – one lunar phase cycle (from new Moon to new Moon) is 29.5 days; an ancient way of counting days
• ‘Apekhya re’ refers to ‘in wait’ in the Odia dialect
• ‘Ba’; is an abbreviation of ‘Baba’ which refers to ‘father’ in the Odia dialect
• Drupes – a fleshy fruit with thin skin and a central stone containing the seed
• Geriatric – relating to old people, especially with regard to their healthcare
• Butte – an isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top
• Doped – guessed about some rumored events
• Windy rain – storm
• Ailed – trouble or afflict (someone) in mind or body