Gather these droplets
while you may
the waves, to these shores
come today.
Who knows the bang,
the slip and crash
of muddy wall
and rocky crag
that tomorrow brings
and empties wall like
on sight, on flight
on the climber’s hike
who windward borne
on fantasy’s wings
careens away…
this tomorrow brings
thus tomorrow wins.
I saw from within the cell of my being.
Forbidden freedom came knocking one day.
I peeped out at the sudden interruption
and saw…
But what was there to see?
My eyes clothed in their earthly apparel
strove in vain for a blessed glimpse –
A glimmer of light; a sparkle of silver
as dust falling onto a sunlit ledge
but all in vain; I was blind.
I tried to feel; grope on in the dark
and felt…
But what was there to feel?
A clammy coldness of the heart
from reaching out in the balmy air
to feel something that was not there?!
Finally I tried to hear
and heard…
the beating of my heart,
loud and clear, like a soldier’s march
trudging back to camp with footsteps weary.
I strained to hear something more
but does silence have a voice?
O freedom, if you come next time,
bring your Identity card along.
How else can one know someone
Not seen, not heard, nor felt?
Maybe, just maybe
The address to which you came was wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_EPSrbhYaM
* This poem has been written and presented by me at the Foundation of Saarc Writers and Literature Conference in New Delhi, India in March 2011. Click the link to view a video recording of the proceedings. For improvement in audio quality use headphones.
* Illustration created by the author.
