Thursday, May 10, 2012

Beyond



ALL THE ANGER IS NOW GONE
WHEREVER, WHATEVER LOVE WAS,
WENT.

THROUGH THE PARTED CURTAINS
I LOOK AT MEMORIES
OBSCURED BY BRANCHES AND LEAVES
CROWDING AND TAPPING THE CLOSED PANES

I PUT THE TIPS OF MY FINGERS ON THE GLASS,
AND UNTOUCHING
STIR THE TENDER LEAVES
AND WITHOUT PASSION
THE MEMORIES

WHICH AWAKE BUT REMAIN
UNSEEN, UNFELT
IN A MIST SO THICK,
SO STILL
IT HOLDS MY BREATH SO
NEITHER JOY NOR SIGH
ESCAPE

I CANNOT HEAR THE THROBBING OF MY HEART
AND I CANNOT HEAR THE SILENCE OF THE
DEAD BATTLES OF MY MIND

EYES FAILING TO HEAR, EARS TO SEE
AND THE HAND CANNOT HOLD BACK,
WIND BLOWN, THE BRANCHES AND THE LEAVES
AWAY FROM THE WINDOW, CLEARING BRIEFLY MY VISION

I KNEW THEN THAT I WAS NOT MERELY TIRED
I KNEW THEN THAT I HAD FINISHED LOVING
THAT I HAD FINISHED LIVING

----------------
Someone sent me the lyrics to this song, written by Sandy Denny, as a companion piece to this poem:

Who Knows Where the Time Goes

Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving
But how can they know it's time for them to go?
Before the winter fire, I will still be dreaming
I have no thought of time
For who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?
Sad, deserted shore, your fickle friends are leaving
Ah, but then you know it's time for them to go
But I will still be here, I have no thought of leaving
I do not count the time
For who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?
And I am not alone while my love is near me
I know it will be so until it's time to go
So come the storms of winter and then the birds in spring again
I have no fear of time
For who knows how my love grows?
And who knows where the time goes?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZa3XsHA6UU

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bhai,

Inrigues of all sorts, perhaps?!

charu

Anonymous said...

Bhai,

Mistyped Intrigues

charu

Firdaus said...

Hi Ramesh,
This is just to prove that I did visit your blog, unlike our Sriperumbudur/Chennai friend.!!!
I still maintain (in continuance of our chat last night) that it is not in man's nature to be murderous. It may be more an aberration in some individual behaviour, but certainly not the norm.
Firdaus

Ramesh Gandhi said...

Most of the words which we use to convey feelings, expressions, experiences, impacts, are not always philosophically or metaphysically correct because the sharp, precise definition required for such expression is not necessary in our social interactions. I have no idea about how casual you were in your allusion to what is natural and what is aberrant in human conduct. It is possible that when you say ‘natural,’ what you actually mean is ‘normal.’ But you made it necessary for me to respond, even if briefly, thus: Everything that human beings perceive and experience, and the manner in which they respond to these sensations, happens because it was natural for it to happen. If it does not happen, that is also because it was natural for it not to happen (until it happens, at which point it becomes natural). Some of these occurrences produce approval, others loathing and rejection, depending on variations in social conditioning. Both reactions are subjective. Simply said, when a murder occurs, it becomes a natural phenomenon, because it is produced by the nature of things. So long as it does not happen, it remains natural for not having occurred. Our subjective reactions and responses to what we like or dislike cannot impinge or interfere with this universal definition of natural vs. unnatural. If murder were unnatural, it would not occur at all.

Anyway, I will leave it at that, until you invite me to a longer exchange on the subject.

Best,
Ramesh Gandhi