Poetry: Gopal Lahiri

Gopal Lahiri

Voiceless

there is no hurry

no fear, no hope

either

windows and staircases

in the house

remain

silent

all

day and

night

only shadows

move

when dusty winds

blow

when the

voiceless bird

goes for

a stroll

in the empty

balcony

lives of insects

precious

here.

no candle licks

up the

darkness

after many years

the broken

walls now waiting

when the sunrays

slip through

when the pale mirror

face the

white clouds.

............................................... 

Change

There is the red of the sandstone

The green of the grass

The silver of the moon soaking

In unsoiled happiness

There are places where

People and animal haggling

For the past

The aroma of grilling the meat

The zesty spices, ginger and herb

The frying of onion and garlic

In the marketplace

The crumbling walls that have been layered

Over the centuries

Tutor you

From narrow forest trails to open place

When fresh wind hit your face

Changes in surface

Under the feet

From gravel to tarmac

Cobblestone to concrete

From earth to marble

There are no refusals

Letting the sound

Mute behind

There are mothers

Turn moon in their hand

Change to last lights

...............................................

Missing Link

Walk straight down

the sandy bank

Into the water bodies

The heron looks perplexed.

Drifting in the

river of the city

the dead flowers

empty some dull moments

Silt like layers swaddle in white,

Not a word is spoken,

of memory piling up

that links us soul to soul.

The setting sun bleeds

in the Western sky

It’s that good, it’s that sad

It’s that hopeless yearning!

...............................................

Tapestry

A strong wind

threading the unknown thriller

The firm brush strokes

erase the dusty corner

Different by the minute

the shadow under the parapet

The falling leaves

trapped by the bird’s nest

Simple

The curve of the winning path

Endearing

The tapestry of the summer evening.

...............................................

Haiku

1.

a strong dose of luh-uv

the lustre of a life time

receptive night sky.

2.

make a wish gesture

symphony of red and brown

lets you read the mind

3.

amid lilting strings

revisit to the childhood 

dissect the lyrics

4.

sky filling with cries 

the sun has come out blazing

answers to God’s call. 

Setu, April 2018