Here I stay restless as clock ticks;
Nor am I at ease when it is stopped,
This I experimented vainly for escape.
I walked in haste, pushing back the road;
That lay infinite and deviated at all odds,
Many turnings, wonder where it goes!
But no, there is duty calling, black and white.
I surrender, destitute and obliged.
Up in the Himalayas, Hanuman resides, wonder!
Down in my books Greek mythologies scattered;
None I explored, my duties calling, black and
white.
The road I marveled is dumped with waste,
filthy.
On filthy grounds, progress roared, high and
high,
Naked beauty of earth, secrets of ancient
wisdoms,
All buried deep under, none I explored, my
duties calling.
Will they keep anything for sake?
for sake of pure love, with no conditions?
The river that flowed with pregnant stories;
It lay crushed all by invasion of power and
hunger,
Greenery that stretched from her taking her
stories,
Is panting and dropping on her way and
vanishing.
None I explored, nor did my children, they are
poor,
Poorer than me, they have no water and air and
no food.
Somebody poisoned, all our belongings, we are
perishing.
Children asked for phantom, I for Kalki,
A more mature I, look forward for fraternity;
understanding, meaning and passion for life.
Here I stay restless as clock ticks;
Nor am I at ease when it is stopped,
This I experimented vainly for escape.
The syntax is a little fractured at times, but it ends up reading like a jazz piece is heard; it isn't conventional, but within that unconventionality lies a power that begins to carry one along, until, by the time one reads the repeated three lines at the end, one goes "wow!" and claps hard.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much...sometimes the thoughts go their way carrying the words with them....
DeleteIt's very nice to read out loud, there's a flow to your words. New follower :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Varsha...
DeleteSad, beautiful, and poignant. You have a new follower!
ReplyDeleteOh I am honored...thank you so much...
DeleteSad and painful, but a beautiful expression of... I'm not sure but I think it feels like a lament for time wasted, and now it's too late.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for being here.....its time wasted and gifts from God wasted....
DeleteIt does remind me Jazz..there are frantic notes that feel discordant, but they move through you..make you feel the piece. Fantastic work!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much....
DeleteBut no, there is duty calling, black and white.
ReplyDeleteNone I explored, my duties calling, black and white.
None I explored, nor did my children, they are poor,
SO much color and wealth and culture we read about, but not for the children there, not for the mother who must walk a narrow path to survive. Only for tourists, the rich, and the scholars?
Is there truly no escape?
Ha Susan you always bring out all aspects of the writing...thank you so much....
DeleteA nice flow and a nice yearning. There is certainly hope at the end of the tunnel! Nice write, sreeja!
ReplyDeleteHank
Thank you so much.....yup only hope can put us across....
DeleteI echo fireblossom's comments - I like the fractured wordplay - like a series of thoughts, seemingly disconnected, but tied together with an underlying theme.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much....
DeleteThe hopelessness of the future stares bleakly out of this piece. Wherever we are in the world we see "progress" destroying peoples lives and the call for help is crushed by the need for profit. I was quite moved by it.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much.....I wish if we could make little hopeful changes .....
Deletepowerful! and i love the repetition at the beginning/end!
ReplyDelete♥
Thank you so much.....
DeleteA really beautiful piece ... quite intriguing and absorbing ... I flowed along with the words ... well done Sreeja :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Amrit.....
Delete