It has come upon me
once more, this month of
inquisitions, the rat race
to the roads I never thought
I’d take.
Behind me and beyond
the misty miles, lie the
much-dreamt meadows
that will never be my home now.
They beckon me yet again
like the foliage of a mirage
waiving at a lost traveller;
like a ghost castle calling
to the fold the return of the
ghost feet.
Bereft of longing
I am rising in the air.
The flame that once was
is now the shade of mildew,
burnt, charred, overdone
like a forgotten barbecue.
One Grain Amongst the Storm 
Such poignant imagery
That is all I had to say.
More than enough
Great piece of writing.
Thank you so much.
Impressed with your writing skill .. thoughtful and reflective
The encouragement is much appreciated, Doctor Liu.
That is so powerful, and also so sad. The longing just leaps off the screen!
Longing and life can undo a lot of each other. Thanks for empathising.
You need to get the heck out of Dodge!
If wishes were Jaguars, bloggers could ride!
Woohoooooo!
Visiting your page after very very long
Loved the piece which is as mesmerising as always
The last stanza a very vivid description of underlying sadness
I am grateful for your visit to this forlorn corner. Thanks for the appreciation.
I love this Uma. There is such a strong sense of regret, longing and nostalgia. Each verse has an image I love that confirms this feeling of wistfulness. Gorgeous!
Your appreciation means a lot, Andrea. You have homed in on the hollow that’s been feeding upon my heart.
The twists and turns, instead of deviating from the theme, takes one deeper. That is the beauty of this composition.
Yes, my friend. Nothing beats the beauty of deepening sadness. Thanks for those kind words.
Wonderful writing.
Thank you, yet again.
The last few lines are heartbreaking.
🙂
Perhaps because they have flown from an aching heart, they have appealed you so. Thank you.
I have been remiss. How often have you commented on my ideas and points of view? In return I have welcomed your comments on mine and seldom returned the favour. Can I now make amends by saying, sincerely, that your poem has now received my ultimate comment – “I wish I has written that.”
Dear friend, my pursuit of blogs is independent of visitations on mine! I am quite like the bear who asked for a ‘venture’! As for that ultimate comment, I can see the poem has touched you, and that means so much more to me.
Reblogged this on Paol Soren and commented:
I am reblogging this because it comes into the category of “I wish I had written this.” What a magnificent poem.
Thank you ever so much, Paol.
There is a dreamy wistfulness in this. Nicely done.
Thank you, my friend.
This is a marvelous poem. I hadn’t realized you have been posting – it seems that for ages the email notification has failed. Sorry about that. I shall be going back and reading.
Hello, old friend. I also have some ‘much-dreamt meadows’. This helped me weep out some tears that were stuck inside. I have not been able to find new words for a year. Perhaps it is time to get them written.
Thank you.
Who else than a poet could have said those words and empathised with my miseries? Please keep writing.
I do empathize, and I hope you are feeling more like yourself soon
I am glad I found my way back today after thinking about it so many times. Bit of a surprising ending with the barbecue, after the poking and prodding of the earlier para. Nice.
Thanks for reading and understanding. The ending changes from longing to surrender, perhaps in search of a closure which isn’t there.
Very deep and thought provoking. It is soo good to be back reading you. Your mastery of words is a true constant. 🙂
Sorry for the late reply. You encourage me as always.
I haven’t been in WordPress a while, my friend. This poem of yours is perfect and beautiful – even your sadness is beautiful, the bleeding wounds of your heart inspiring. What a powerful gift you have got!
How is your health? I do pray there are no complications. Take a good care. Everything will work out in the end, you know. Sending prayers of peace.
Thank you ever for those kind words, my friend. I have been out of my elements of late. I keep telling myself it is temporary, like everything. I keep believing it will pass. It will.