Stars of East: Poetry Against the Coronavirus

The battle against the novel coronavirus has been cruel and has caused us great losses, yet there is hope to be found in the persistence of medical workers rushing to the center of the COVID-19 outbreak, putting themselves at high risk of infection to save others. The whole of China is being mobilized to prevent further spread of the virus, and people around the world are sending material and mental support... Aditya Karnataki, an Indian post-doctorate fellow at the Bejing International Center for Mathematical Research of Peking University, was so inspired by the efforts he witnessed that he wrote a poem in both Marathi and English he calls Stars of East.

We are very honored to have invited Dr. Karnataki to read us his own composition:

Stars of East

Death herself dances, wearing skulls and crossbones

Tears flow, lives are doomed, hearts turn to stones.

People quiver, houses shake and collapse

Tasteless mouths, wounds bleed, gasp!

Wind chokes on mountains, rivers do lament

But get up, o friend, o beloved

Your fair land needs commitment!

Trials strengthen, storms subside, why fear?

Let the bugles of war sing, forget all fear!

Strike with million hands, drums of clouds ring

The past is gone, welcome tomorrow's spring!

O great nation, instil resolution in action

Lash the enemy, victory gains traction!

Chant the mantra of humanity always

Togetherness for everyone, these are our ways!

Flames dance, but hope is not hollow

We must use all tools, and rules follow.

Win! Win! March ahead! Why need be worried?

Cooperation of all, the disease be buried!

Breaths very hot, we fill up the skies

Hands in hands, the Stars of East arise!

The manuscript in Marathi:

About the Author

Dr. Aditya Karnataki joined the Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research of Peking University in 2017 and is engaged in post-doctoral research. He earned his doctoral degree from Boston University and studies Number Theory. His primary areas of research include p-adic Hodge Theory and congruences of automorphic forms. In his spare time, Dr. Karnataki enjoys listening to classical music, writing and learning about other cultures.

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Stars of East: Poetry Against the Coronavirus

Writer: Pu Hairui

Editor: Amanda Hu, Trevor

Photo: VCG, Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research of Peking University

Designer: Pu Hairui

Source: Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research of Peking University