PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

"The days of youthful joys are over":
I heard an eagle talk to a sparrow,
And as the clouds cleared and the sun shone
The dimly-lit day did autumn welcome.

In my school days there was this girl,
Who stole my heart at first sight;
As a maiden fairest too she loved me
As I too did...till the sad, sad night...
When on her death-bed she smiled sweetly,
As if preparing me for her untimely flight,
Even the houris of Eden could not believe,
How, with her last breath, she greeted me.
I felt my entire world collapsing,
As my eyes saw my dearest darling,
Slowly lift up her head on the pillow,
And then, for ever, leave me pining;
For the true love she had given me --
-- Alas, for the pain-filled memory!

Then I took up a quest like Galahad,
The most noble night in Arthur's ballad,
Along with inspiration from Orpheus of Greece,
I dared to dive deep into Hades;
In an attempt to reclaim my first love,
And like Orpheus I too failed in my vow....

The years went by with friends and foes,
Nobody was aware of my lovelorn woes,
No one could even see the throes,
Shackling my heart with entwined bows.

My near and dear ones could not fathom,
What my first love really meant to me,
Nobody cared to gaze at the phantom,
That my being had become: a quaint fantasy --
A sad one though -- longing for the one,
The queen of my loving heart's kingdom.

Worldly matters and worries crept on,
Keeping me involved each night and morn',
I had adapted my exterior to look happy,
Burying deep within my love's agony.

Then came a time when fate too tripped me,
And made me appear as a human mockery,
I was labelled as a man who had gone crazy,
Or one possessed by fiendish devilry.

My best friend -- even he called me "paranoid",
A "schizophrenic" who couldn't be rectified,
Even though he knew the sacrifices I made,
For my mother and father without a word said.
Preventing a home from breaking apart,
I put a lid of lead over my sad heart;
And gave my youthful years to a woman,
Who did not prove to be a good human.
For over a decade I bore my aches quietly,
Not even once mentioning my Daphne:
Daphne, whose love was blood to my brain,
Never did I ever mention the sweet name...
Thus passed the time and despite my best,
The wedlock I was bound to failed the test.
And then dawned the day when she left me,
In her quest for a life of more luxury.
Leaving behind a home with children three.

I carried on and steered past the storm,
And smilingly embraced each sharp thorn,
For my sons and my daughter I lived on,
Till the moment when they too did scorn,
When destiny made me a victim of despair,
And that was the time when none did care,
Outwardly the words were comforting indeed,
But I knew the truth behind word and deed.
Bed-ridden for what seemed a lifetime,
I bore the barbs of venomous slime.
Again, my friend thought I had gone mad,
While "it's just an act" some told my dad.
It was only my faith in my Lord God Almighty,
And the evergreen love of my heavenly Daphne,
That I recovered -- somewhat unexpectedly,
For everyone around had given up on me....

Like the proverbial Phoenix rising from the grave,
I got up again and parried the thrusts like a brave
Soldier, with a will to conquer and overwhelm,
All the hurdles that life and living gave...

Then came the woman who took my hand,
And pulled me back from a deep quicksand,
I could not believe that I could be so lucky,
As to be rescued by a mysterious beauty.
With her loving care she reshaped me truly,
Into the man I was before losing Daphne.

I shall not name my "Lady of the Lake",
Even though I love and will always love her,
Her true beauty is not a tale to relate,
Inside and out she is simply great!

To this God-sent damsel I am what I am,
Once again the courageous and daring man,
So, even if the joys of youth are over,
I worry not for I am the happiest lover.
Thanks to the gracious angel in disguise,
I am no longer bothered about other ties.
I care not what my friend thinks of me,
Nor do I give a thought to a vain family.
Let the damned world think I am "crazy"
I know now that it's naught...but its evil frenzy.

All praise and thanks to my God Almighty,
For giving me a woman who believes in me,
And who, with her pure, selfless adoration,
Has made me slowly forget even Daphne.
Let her be who she is...my mysterious 'she'.
For she is mine and meant for me only.
Why should I expose her to 'friend' or foe,
And make her the envy of all that I know?
Our hearts beat together and without doubt,
God the Greatest will make our love glow.