Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Was It Only Yesterday ?



Was it only yesterday?

That you held my hands

And walked the yards.

The day reclining to rest

As the Sun took shade for the night.

My eyes attentive, inert to your words.

My mind fixed at some distance

Counting present worries

And those yet to come.

Some yours. Some mine.

And the road ribboned forward

Only to bend at curbs

While the air mixed hues and sounds

Of the approaching evening.

You loved the sunset.

And I loved you.


You were always this reckless.

Never giving a silent thought before the leap

Splashing muddy waters onto your silk churidaar,

Spoiling my starched dove-white shirt.

And then having only a pleading smile

Half impish, half sincere

And full of unrepentant joy,

That made me smile. Annoyed.

But, you never noticed.

You kept pace with the fireflies of rain

And chased their wings

Like a child at play.

Like that girl untouched

Of pain or vice.

I, like a fool, watched.

And relived my faded childhood.

Through you.

You danced.



Was it only yesterday?

When unawares you wept out loud.

For the kitten was hurt,

Or the urchins were poor

Or that ‘people just die’.

My emotions too confused,

My responses delayed,

Waited for waves to settle

In your tremulous heart.

I only breathed.

And somewhere deep within me

Something moved

In the blissful knowledge that

You are to be treasured.

For life.

If not by me.

Someone else.

For sure.



The sunset makes me feel silly.

As I take the long walk home

I see people huddle in the rain.

You loved getting drenched, I remember.

And every time the deluge,

In its joyous rhythm

Obliged.

In setting you free.

By letting life play around you

As you danced to the thunder.

I stood at some corner watching.

Miffed and amused.

I knew it would be soon,

Time for a kiss.

And then ‘Goodbye’.

The unclasping of fingers

And pearls of longing

Gracing you eyes,

Slipping down your cheeks

In their cruel climb.

I smiled like irony.

That made me live

My entire lifetime.


Was it only yesterday ?





22 comments:

dreamy said...

"And the road ribboned forward

Only to bend at curbs".

Amazing, as usual. :)

Inside our hands, outside our hearts said...

This was lovely. It swept ahold of my heart and made it cry and the loss, and laugh at the memories.

You did a brilliant job here.

T

ArSENik said...

Probably your best work that I can remember - in a league by itself. And this is actually better than some published poets I have read. Have you published? If not, think about it seriously.

It's a tragedy, yet so beautiful. It's like that favorite film of yours that makes you cry, and yet you revisit, knowing fully well that your heart is in for an exercise. IMO the snap spoils the purity of the words, but that's just me.

Katie McKenna said...

Incredibly moving.... thank you

WritingsForLife said...

you know sometimes there are some poems that you start reading them and even though you don't intend to read the whole thing word by word, you just cant let go. The flow of words wouldn't let your eyes or mind wander.
I just read one those poems :-)
Great Job
Cheers!

... said...

This time I won't really comment on the poem. You write really well. It stupid to comment on that.
All I'll say that the poem made me relive a wound...it revived a feeling that I'm trying to hide deep in my heart...they say sometimes others write your story for you. This is one of those poems. It made me cry. I'm all teary-eyed,now :| :( That,in part explains, why I typed such a sentimental comment.

This poem really really touched my heart.
One question : May I copy this poem down in my personal diary? Or is there a copyright on this 'intellectual property' ?

Noisy Autist said...

wow... seems so honest you know.

What's In A Name ? said...

#dreamy- Thats inspired from Richard Bach. Do read him at your leisure.

#inside-outside- Strangely, my scribbles always have this appeal to the onlookers. :) A thousand thanks to you!

# arsenik- The picture thing was rankling with me too. Good that you made the point. Thats changed.
Aapki ki hukum sar-ankhon par. :)

It feels great that you all appreciate my harmless little scribbles.

# Katie- Thank you, Ma'am.

# Raaji- I don't write free-verse that much. I like rhymes better. But you people make me think otherwise. :) Thanks.

#clouds- Hey! Our stories match. Do they ?
Cheer up, Dear! You are too young to be bothered by fang-marks of passion.

#noisy autist- Sounds encouraging. :)

What's In A Name ? said...

@ clouds- If you want it, its yours. It will be my pleasure.
And yes, whats 'intellectual rights' ? Never heard of it.

... said...

Not fang-marks of passion..just silly love! I fell for false promises.

And intellectual property rights are the rights provided for people who's intellectual property,mainly works of art, have copied,etc. You know, patent/copyright and all.

:)

What's In A Name ? said...

Singularly enlightening, your company is.

... said...

Our stories match,do they?

... said...

Errrr...thanks!

Macadamia The Nut said...

That was SOOOOOOOO beautiful
Loved this line
"You loved the sunset.
And I loved you."

What's In A Name ? said...

# clouds- No thanks. :)

# macademia- Unlike above

"THanks". :D

Poorna Banerjee said...

bhishon bhishon shundor. amar chokhe jol eshe gelo pore.

ad libber said...

Gosh, this has to be the best poem you have ever composed. Its lyrical, its beautiful, its like rain on a summer's day. You almost make me believe love exists.
Bu of course love does not exist.

What's In A Name ? said...

# panudi- ekiiii!!!!!! :(
sobaaike kaaadiye dichhi naaki ????

# ad libber- Well, if u ask me There's more I count in my favorite list. This one doesn't figure there .:) And haa,

Love does exist.

Llama said...

You may have meant for a lover to say this about his long lost love. But it also reads to me like the words of a father to his little girl who has gone far, far away. Either way, beautiful.

What's In A Name ? said...

Poojo c. - Its fascinating how subtle poetry is sometimes. Theres always scope for independent interpretation. I must say your's is novel.

Anoo. said...

this reads like a song, it is amazing!thank you for the visit to my blog :)

What's In A Name ? said...

# anurima- Thank you.