Time, I know - you will never appear
to listen to the song of my youth!
My invocation, tonight, will go in the wind of streets
yet, the song of youth shivers my mind with the ripples of thousand joys!
One-day best of your love would die – I knew
yet; your transitory love of youth still haunts my heart!
I murmur and whisper that song –
"A youth’s thoughts are long, long thoughts of river Nile,
a youth’s will is the oceans’ will…”
Flying from a far-off unknown-island of Future,
you appeared as a stranger in my life and,
carried with you a very precise gift for me - Youth
wrapped in a cellophane sheet of time -
thin and lean, as it would seem!
Youth was freshness of the springs of life
Jasmine of youth was to love – without terms, unconditionally
Soul of youth was full of vigour and emotions and it never wrinkled
Intrepid zeal of youth wanted to unfold every leaf of mysteries of life
Every thrill was as thrilling as the first voyage to a great ocean
Smile of youth was always longer than a frown,
Some dreams never blossomed in the spring of youth,
Lines of scars with pain and sorrow as if,
subtle dried hairlines on earthenware - are still visible in mind
Sometime, “not-having” in life appears as - too gracious and colorful!
Standing at the center of a vast expansive meadow
I see, everything around me is perishable and,
change is the only constant and rule of life but,
Time, you will know, you have taken away only my physical Youth
For I still carry my Youth in my mind as fresh as the jasmine in the garden!
Wakeful are the stars and earth to listen to this song
The crescent moon in the sky too listens
I murmur and whisper that song –
"A youth’s thoughts are long, long thoughts of river Nile,
a youth’s will is the oceans’ will, it never dies”.
Andis
Kolkata
February, 2011
