by M.Mohankumar
Mohankumar’s poem is about a strange experience in which, while the narrator is taking his evening walk in the park, he is detained by a man with ‘large, smouldering eyes’ who speaks to him in a mystical strain even as he listens in stony silence.
Sunset hour. I was walking in the park,
thinking of the sad turn of events,
when I saw him standing in the way:
an old man with large, smouldering eyes.
Sir,’ he said, ‘Spare me a few minutes.
You’re the man I’ve been looking for.’
Is he off his chump? I wondered. He
drew me to the pavement and said,
‘This world is not what it appears to be.
The sky is not flat or blue. The firefly
that glimmers does not carry fire.’
He stared at me, then said in a low voice,
‘I see dark clouds oppressing your mind;
but they will all be blown away. Days ago,
in this very park, a breeze blew past you
whispering a message that you missed.’
Was he trying to play on my credulity?
‘Listen,’ he said, ‘Who hears the song
of the rain? Only the earth which is thrilled
and gets united with the sky. Who notes
sights and sounds that presage things?
Birds and beasts try to communicate
with us. My Guru (hallowed be his name)
used to talk to dogs and ants. Haven’t you
breathed a fragrance, out of nowhere,
and wondered? Without doubt, it means
the presence of a dear one long dead.’
He stopped suddenly, as if discouraged
by my stony silence, then shook my hand.
(His hand was bony and I almost winced.)
‘We’ll meet again,’ he said, and walked away.
Mohankumar has published eight volumes of poetry in English, his latest collection being “Gleanings” which released in 2016. His poems have appeared in almost all reputed literary magazines in print in India. His first collection of short stories in English, ‘The Turning Point and Other Stories’ has been published by Authorspress, Delhi. Mohankumar retired as Chief Secretary to Government of Kerala.
