English Poetry

The sun was yet to show its glow
It lay eclipsed behind the misty dawn
Weary was the time flow
My heart quivered – I was forlorn.

It all came in a flash
A Rainbow.
From shade to shade shifted the figure
The clouds were melting
Rays were gaining vigour.

The spirit panted
Life of the dead silence heard its Cries
Light forced itself slanted
Overcome was the struggle to rise.

It is a full morn now, yes, so it seems to me
Who you are and what you mean to me ?
Are
Expressions of what life means to me.

The goal out of sight
The meandering ways lead astray. 

The symbols, the signs
No More. 

Where the heart, where the song
What for I long ?

 Struggling, striving, in the dark
I crave for a path.

 Fighting – vagabond, wanderer
My infamous fame.

 My objective – barred from sight
This urges another try.

 All is real
No sleep, no dream.

 I got enough to do
I am yet to tumble down the deep.

 I have to give up a lot
Before I weep, before I weep.

Respect for the school is
The first step to learning.
Only with respect does learning come.

In you I see
A lad sometimes, a gal sometimes
Always an individual with a promise.

Often I plunge into thoughts
Thoughts that concentrate on your success.
You wander into my sight through the mind’s eye
And my reverie is shattered!

Your hanging tie, your open collars,
Your unbuttoned shirt, your rolled up sleeves,
Your untucked shirt, your unkempt hair,
All make me stand and stare.

In my stare I find
Your long nails, your flashy nail polish,
Your flowing hair, your very short attire
Is it to draw shame or admire ?

All the way that you are
Makes you all but a learner.

You have a chance in life, I think.
I say this and in disbelief you blink.
You wonder why this man is after you
Your apprehension is apparently true.

You wish me to leave you alone
You desire me to fail.

Take note my beloved flowers
“I shall never give up
I shall strive never to fail
I am to usher you into a promising future
I shall struggle for you
For you have a destiny to avail.”

Remember
“I shall never give up
I shall strive never to fail
For if I fail, can I teach you the trick to pass.”

Rightly it is said
‘Failures leave trails of failures
Success begets success’

For your success tomorrow
I must succeed today.

Where is the world with a clear sky
Where the head is held high
Where the mind is without fear
And the concepts are clear.

 Where love is always wanted
Where love for love is granted
Where one heart reaches out to another
And failures or triumphs are borne together. 

Where there is no demand
Where people understand
Where good intent is certain
And feelings have no curtains. 

Into such bliss my Lord
Let this world awake
If it cannot
Then destroy and remake!

Songs of humanity
Touch of eternity
Hearts at purity
Smiles of adversity
Where are you ?

Why His world is His no more?
Is He there to keep the score?

Development, growth, emancipation
Belied aspiration dark frustration.

Hollow men and hollow feelings
Shallow thought with shallow dealings.

“The old order changeth”
Tennyson sayeth
And it is true.
But for what does the old order changeth
Yielding place to new?

High above the highest high
Ravens hover no place for doves to fly.

Not that there exists no olive
No hands to take and give.

Thou punished Satan’s revolt
Why not again use the thunderbolt?

Standing at the school gate
I see,
Thousands of gaits
Oh me!

I reminisce my days
At school
I recall my ways
At school.

Charming faces fly by
In the minds eye

Bubble, excitement, none is shy
Oozing energy but no hue nor cry

As a teacher, today at the school gate, I stand
And watch a coming band.
I call, I tell, I demand
Values I want them to understand.

Some in earnest some in fear
Some with smile some in jeer
They know my intentions clear
And sure they adhere.

I wonder what is gone
Commitments of teachers or values in students
For just as students, many teachers also pass by.

It was the entrance interview
To class eleven of our prestigious school.
Hundreds came
Certainly, all were not selected.
At the interview
Remember – we were all teachers.

I can recollect
One Ghanshyam.
Meek, awkwardly simple
Precisely – unimpressive.
We at the board winded at each other
Wrinkled forehead and eyebrows raised
We laughed – a frown of sorts.
Remember – we were teachers.

A look at the marksheet – a glee
We could foresee the competition topper.
Remember – we were teachers.

Today, Ghanshyam is a successful engineer.
We feel he is our achievement.
We did laugh at him – once.
Nevertheless, we take pride to remember
We are his teachers.

We’d rather learn and remember
‘Who is a teacher?’