Poetry: Leaves and Dreams

B S Tyagi

B. S. Tyagi

 (i)
In the garden all alone I am sitting
    Moon beams are raining all around
Nature at its best but no bird chirping
    Dry twigs and leaves cover the ground
         Peace, piety and joy enchantingly abound
          At times trees softly rustle at the far end
But alas! Nothing so engaging here I found
Though something soothing the stars send,
           Celestial song the Almighty has ever penned.

(ii)
Full-moon is shining in the cloudless sky
    Its glory and grace floating in the crisp air
  Pious quietude fills the earth and the sky
  Presence of the Spirit prevails everywhere
      Dew drops beginning to fall from the air
      Grass looks, wet, clear, bright and bare
Everything in holy silence is drowned
Such Nature’s boundless bounty rare
   When heavenly bliss descends on the ground

(iii)
A moment before wind passed grazing me
  Hundreds of leaves are lying under my feet
Like my dreams trampled down I can see
  To lonesome heart they wished to give a beat
        But as ugly and unwanted them they treat
        Disgrace and denial in the world they meet
To such a man nothing remains alluring
And dreams all small or big untimely fleet
     All friends and dear ones no more assuring

(iv)
Now the wind is calm, the night is still
      Like my lovely dreams tired and asleep
Restive heart needs a tranquilizing pill
      Good harvest of miseries here I’m to reap
        Burden of decaying dreams breaks my will
        Unlike these silent trees I feel no high thrill
All the leaves will be lying here no more
The heat of time dries up my hopes’ rill
  At the end of life’s journey I’m lying on the shore

(v)
In the fields far, far away leaves are lying
   Where they decompose into a life anew
And serve as manure to the seeds growing
     Gentle breeze coming to help all renew
         No sign of life poor dreams are showing
         As if buried in musty cell began destroying
  Unlike these leaves they have lost glow
  Slowly towards the grave they’re going
   Soon before my eyes disappear without taking a bow.

(vi)
Moon is going slowly behind a fleecy cloud
   Lo! Long tree shadows magically shorten
Of this receding beauty one feels proud
   Cool pure night and tree tops softly brighten
      Despair and grief in my aching heart heighten
       Numbness all over slowly begins to grow high
Sitting with down head as if drunken
Now to the world I must say good-bye
  My eyes, my cheeks and lips beginning to harden

Setu, July 2019