Thursday, October 9, 2008

Idyll

One day he passed by a dale
and heard the call of a siren
that pierced through his sub-conscious
deep into his being
and he decided to stay put

a hut was made overlooking the gentle downs
with a pristine lake by one side
he was away in isolation
yet he had everything he wanted
there was Net to converse, to know
and yet he could shut it whenever he wished
he could listen to any tune
time and time again
he could read whatever he wanted
he had no chores to do
a kind samaritan came from nowhere
and volunteered to take care of him
she asked for nothing
but was more motherly than his mother had ever been

he could exactly do what he wished for
and had complete freedom
he could stay in and be connected for as long as he wanted
he could read, he could listen to any melody he wished
and then he could venture out if bored
cut a few logs, for firewood
shear the lambs, only because he enjoyed it
or just play with the shepherds
and tell them of the wider world
yet detach from them with no ties
no commitment to anyone
he was as free as any bird
he would watch the reflection of moon in the lake all night long
and wake up late in the afternoon
and then bathe under the waterfalls, taking in a cool refreshing dip
in the evening, sip a cup of coffee watching the sunset beyond downs
he did not even have to think,
leave alone do anything for his bare necessities or survival

thoughts flitted like flies
there was no constant
he let it be..after all there was no aim, no end to attain
no money to be earned for bread, wine or shelter
no human ties or responsibilities

he had come there with a pain which the siren tapped
he had none to call his own
and yet it is that yearning that propelled him
to write, to read, to listen, to know
to sense
to percieve
now that pain was his most valuable posession
as it was his life force, it made him feel alive

he liked the unknown siren, who was forever in the distance
it was beautiful to imagine how beautiful she might be
it was thrilling to feel the intrigue surrounding her
yet her allure remained only as long as she was obscure
so he never really wished to meet her despite wanting to do so

as days passed by he grew bored
freedom was desirable when bound in chains
but when one is free in the air,
there is a sense of rootlessness

yet the siren's pull kept him there
her enchantment never ceased
and then as some more days passed by
he realised that being bound had been a habit
which will take some while to shrug off
and when that bind of bind started wearing thin
the idyll looked beautiful like never before

2 comments:

buddy said...

nice poetry!
dark at places
fairy tale like at places
childish at some
grown up at others
nice!

Kartik Srinivasan said...

thanks buddy!
its the childish ramblings of a supposed grown up :P