Two layers of meaning; your note on the diary,
Kept on the old wooden desk; unattended.
… Seen the pages where you have slipped,
Things you could have written long before.
Did you travel too fast? Did you darken your thoughts?
Something has already gone beyond your reach.
There was a visible labour, an attempt to survive,
But the light was always dim, shadows lengthened.
An irresistible desire; not counting loss or gain,
Roamed like flies and insects on the summer time.
You tried, pushed yourself to the life; bright and burning
Not cried over for the loss, not allowed to flow from your eyes.
Boredom and weariness- eating your flesh and bones,
The stress and strain couple – you felt undone at the end.
I liked this a lot;though of course whenever “Liked” is used in a review it actually subsumes a great deal more. “Two layers of meaning..” clearly acts as a signpost to the unsuspecting reader;as indeed there are at least two layers of meaning intertwined in this poem. Many enticing possibilities were brought to my attention. Bereavement? or some other significant absence? are apparitions involved? There are the merest whisps of Borges in “things you could have written” and in the notion of the wooden desk being “unattended”. Altogether very good.
Beautiful write Gopal.
EDITORIAL NOTE:- This is to acknowledge that,” Undone ” by Gopal Lahiri was chosen as 1 of 4 poems to be part of the 3rd.Phase of ,” Featured Poets & Poems ” to be exhibited during March 2012 in Poets’Corner @ Destiny Church,Wakefield.
Thanks Louis for the honour. Grateful indeed.
Thanks Rahul for your compliments. Much appreciated.
Gopal
Certainly leaves one pondering possibilities or maybe lost possibilities even !