Feb 24, 2006

Reflections .....

art by ashok


















Strange a thought, I know not why,
Has suddenly struck my mind:
That if this minute I am to die,
Heaven or hell, will I find?

It may be too early to bed,
But will I rise to behold the dawn?
Will I behold the sun in red?
And dew drops in my lawn?

How strange I am, my wants and ways,
And stranger still my brain -
That hates to wrinkle old with greys'
But craves a longer reign.

One score years I've been on Earth,
At last I've stopped to ponder:
Did I live my life its worth?
"No", says a voice," Unforgivable offender".

How many times I've mocked a friend!
How many butterflies I've killed for fun!
Never I forgave nor forgot a foe, and
Never confessed a wrong I've done.

If I turn my last page now,
Few dears may shed a sorry tear;
But have I earned a name above?
If 'yes' I say- I am a liar.

Far more my sins, far more they are,
Than all the stars of the firmament;
Years ahead I have, I thought, for -
Never did I kneel to repent.

Aches my heart to think its been,
A selfish life of pride and lust;
I wilt, I wane, I weep unseen,
What if I hit the lowly dust!

Ashamed I am of a life so mean,
Rich of rotten rubbish and rust;
O' Time is lean and I've to clean,
'Fore I wither, 'fore I burst.

Every soul sure has his harvest;
Good or bad he has to reap;
Worst or best the reward is must,
'Fore or after his dreamless sleep.

A day of must we have to rest,
In a seven feet bed, great or meek;
Then gold and silver - why we quest?
Power and pelf - why we seek?

The World's a library and men are books;
A book has an End - but was it good?
Fame, fortune and lovely looks,
They travel not beneath the mud.

So, let the blow be far or near;
Lo! I've got in time the message;
Even if it’s just an year,
I will live it as a sage.

The journey may be short or long,
But was it for a worthy cause?
And thus goes the Wiseman’s song:
"It matters 'HOW?’ not 'HOW LONG?' it was" !

Written in 1995 (reposted from my archives)

30 comments:

  1. Amazing stuff!

    "The journey may be short or long,
    But was it for a worthy cause?
    And thus goes the Wiseman’s song:
    "It matters 'HOW?’ not 'HOW LONG?' it was" !"


    GBU
    Arti

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  2. you've killed butterflies :-(

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  3. superb one Ashok...

    //That if this minute I am to die,
    Heaven or hell, will I find?//

    I really liked this :-)

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  4. So, let the blow be far or near;
    Lo! I've got in time the message;
    Even if it’s just an year,
    I will live it as a sage.

    ashok we read with envy all ur posts about party and the fabulous food, so pls don't become a sage

    good poem, ten years back, wow :)

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  5. Beautiful poem - theres so much intensity in it

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  6. If I turn my last page now,

    that is so beautiful and this being a decade old....I feel this was a true awakening of sorts for u.

    and it's nice to have put it up so that people like me will realise something so true :)

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  7. If I turn my last page now,
    Few dears may shed a sorry tear;
    But have I earned a name above?
    If 'yes' I say- I am a liar.


    nice ...

    --kingkong

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  8. In a way, you captured my life's motto .. No turning back, no regrets, one life to live and live i will..
    Beautiful poem!
    Sarah

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  9. Beautiful poem you write so well. you have many more beautiful years ahead of you, no regrets just move on.

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  10. //Even if it’s just an year,
    I will live it as a sage//

    Have u been living like that? :-p

    Anyway the poem is very good :-)

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  11. *Arti...must be if u say so :)

    *tilo... :(

    *syam...tanx

    *smiley...tanx and for ur info that was another resolution that i never kept ;)

    *visit...tanx :)

    *maya...tanx doc

    *kingkong..tanx

    *sarah...exactly...tanx:)

    *starry nights...tanx mate

    *Ms.C ...god question..thats the irony ;(

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  12. To think of such stuff ten years back is indeed amazing. I hope the poem give a new meaning to your life now, after 10 years. A new way of looking at life. The prism of life always splits the white light into multiple fragments.

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  13. Anonymous5:15 PM

    nice poetry....sounds quiet realistic...
    have a great day...
    http://virtuously.blogspot.com/

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  14. hey ashok!
    i just love ur blog. i wish there was no ban in blogspot here. have to access it thru proxy.
    great work man!! i love ur approach and ur daring nature.
    My poetry blogs uptoo. nd u can find teh link on my blog.

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  15. Ah you are a multi talented man. Liked the poem a lot.

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  16. Anonymous5:55 AM

    Why wd one think about death in his early twenties, I wonder? Nevertheless great stuff.

    Rajesh

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  17. 10 years ago!!!Asoku, chancey illa, super cool!:-)

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  18. //How many times I've mocked a friend!
    How many butterflies I've killed for fun!
    Never I forgave nor forgot a foe, and
    Never confessed a wrong I've done.//
    Liked these lines..full of life in it.

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  19. Very nice poem ashok.

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  20. long time. no post.........

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  21. //How strange I am, my wants and ways,
    And stranger still my brain -
    That hates to wrinkle old with greys'
    But craves a longer reign.//

    ---> U HIT IT BRO! superb telling, flow and everything is great, the message and words give it an epic feeling, something like living a lifetime. Simply great.

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  22. Beautiful picture and poem!

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  23. Love the concluding lines!


    GBU
    Arti

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  24. Very well written, Ashok1 The poet in you wants to come out:)

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  25. Wise words, and so young!

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  26. Beautiful words and fantastic image Ashok

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  27. Great lines for the fantastic image.

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  28. Ashok, very true description of the human
    condition.

    "Far more my sins, far more they are,
    Than all the stars of the firmament;
    Years ahead I have, I thought, for -
    Never did I kneel to repent."

    This knowledge is the key to wisdom
    and freedom. Well written and insightful
    for one so young.

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  29. wonderful artwork, I love the swirling patterns and the footprints going in opposite directions. I enjoyed the poem too, thought provoking

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