Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Waiting for the boatman


The river stretched lazily, far and wide,
Not a ripple in sight
I gazed, nay squinted
Through the blackness
Inky and Bleak

The finger shone
White as the pale face
Of Death beckoning, beckoning
Eyes transfixedI went
Into the arms of darkness
With purpose With intent
On board!
The wooden serpent
Slithered through the waves
But still no ripples

The boatman stood
On the bough
Lantern lit
Stick clenched
His robes flapping
Like the wings of a bat
Tattered but strong
Never did he look back
Nor did I mind

The journey had begun
And rightly so
For it surely was
Time to go
Time came
Time went

Towards forever
We trudged
Towards eternity
Wearily but never tired

At last the end was near
The boat docked
At the pier
To let its passengers off

I followed the boatman
And his light
As it swung
To create shadows
In the blackness
In the night

And as it swung
A light I did see
It sent shivers
Through my spine and me

For the sign was old
With the light on it I knew
From where we had come
And where must I go

The sign it pointed
To the darkness
From which I came
And its letters spelt
S-T-Y-X
Birth
Life
Death
Here I come

7 comments:

Woman?? said...

Ripples, created by your journey through the river of life, are seen as effects in all the other lives that you touch along the way.

Even if it is through the internet.

Perhaps one of the 'touched' shall light a candle to banish the darkness?

therapy said...

I cant read it:(

Evil one, you make me copy and paste..
Grumble..

therapy said...

Hmmm..I suspect it was written on the way to the pub?:)
But the end is beautiful too..
where are you? in the photo?

Sylvan Goddess said...

I'm scared, reading this..:(

Hari Adivarekar said...

@woman - well said. It is like that. You send the good ripples out and someday, somewhere they'll find their way back. And I love to give. :)

@therapy - Nope. I'm hiding behind the camera most of the time. That's a friend of mine in Mahabalipuram. But now that you've given me the idea I'm going to put my mug up here as well. :D

@Ar - It's just a poem. In case you didn't notice I'm not the giving-up-on-life type.

duende said...

hey. you're a poet!

therapy said...

nice nice..now I can read..thank ye..much:)