Saturday, May 9, 2009

A man with a missing heart

I pray to you my dear God,
just take away this heart of mine;
for it thumps on the beats of her hymn;
And then my brain, at my heart's bidding
brings to me countless memories flooding.

Memories of one rainy day,
with just one shield to put the rain at bay.
A pair of beating hearts and shaky hands
clutching the stem one above the other;
And lo! there blew a strong gust,
with the thundering as a witness, confess I must
that a chill ran through my body and my hair stood on their end;
It was but a maiden feeling, of a touch, I didn't comprehend.

For there were a pair of hands closing on a pair of other;
A flying parasol and striking rain ceased to bother.
This very moment seemed to me like an eternity.
For it toured me through a world full of insanity.
A world, wherein the heart spake more than the tongue;
And there was love in the air and love in the song.

From that night on, ma cherie,
I preferred living in my own world merry.
I worshipped the path which every day you tread;
And to say about sorrow, there wasn't even a shred.
I hummed with the bees and danced with the flowers;
And I warned the drones, lest they mistake you to a flower.

Without you in my dreams, the moon didn't dare rise;
And to disturb my sleep, the cock didn't think it wise.
For in dreams, I perceived this cruel world as the sheriff of Nottingham,
with me as the gallant Sherwood thief
and you, my pretty Maid Marian.

I have countless memories of you , my dear;
And countless more to forgive.
For I would trade with the devil, a thousand deaths,
for each of them to live.
With pleasant thoughts of a union, one eve,
I set out on a pony smart;
Only to return by the ghastly night
with a sobbing and broken heart.

Thy death made my world, a sphere hollow;
For I was handed a poison, even difficult to swallow.
For many a days after, my eyes dwelled in an empty trance;
And for every girl that passed by the window,
the pair rushed for a hopeful glance.

Sobbing by thy grave, I questioned my destiny.
Were my deeds that bad, or had I committed a felony?
For such a misery, I was compelled to partake;
And with every smile I wore, my love was at stake.

Much better than this heartless God, I thought,
much better a man, so merciful as Mister Hugo;
For beside sweet Esmeralda, was buried her hunchback Quasimodo.
And here I was, as dead as I was alive;
And like a fish out of water,
breaking every nerve to survive.

If ever, my destiny, upon me shall smile;
and lay me in death, beside ye, after a life so futile;
when there remains not an iota, for my destiny to thwart,
Here will lie a man with a missing heart.
---- Saurabh

[For those of you who reached the end of this poem...I really appreciate your patience ;) ]

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Thnx for appreciating my patience... :).... you can give me more marks for referring to Dictionary many a times.... :D... Ani Pahili 6 kadavi kharach bhari ahet....(pudhachi pan... pan ka ugach -ve....)

निखिल said...

I appreciate your patience too... :)
Mast poem ahe, you have woven words beautifully.
English poems are far too different in style than Marathi counterparts, as I perceive from my schooldays. Really nice that, I am reading them again after so many years because of you.

Last thing, I wish you to write a cheerful poem. You construct tragedies very beautifully, because that is very natural to you ;)

vinay said...

A lovely intense poem! Really liked it :) I could actually picture you narrating it, while I read through it :) So very 'Saurabh'ish, if I may say that! Felt really nice to listen to you after so long! keep writing! :)

sauru said...

Thanks...Swanand and Nikhil....Thanks Vinsky...I liked your poem "The mirage" too....