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Jan 2008
Where?
a poem
by Rajni Gopaul
Copyright © 2008 Rajni Gopaul. All
rights reserved.
A land
Born from freedom fighters,
Safe after their bloodshed,
Sound after their sweat
Is my here.
My here is where
Fasting for Cavadi,
On pilgrimage for Pere Laval and Mahashivratree
I pray, at the Mandir,
Lighting candles in the Church.
My here is where
I light lamps for Divali,
and share gateau la cire
with ladoo and sevaye
to mirror images and
smiling faces of mine.
Happy Divali, Eid Mubarak, Kung shi fat Choy
Are more than one’s feast.
My here is where
I give gifts for Christmas,
Share sega cds
And dhollpuris,
celebrate nikaah and vivah
of my friends,
communion and sanskar vidhi
of my new born nieces
and nephews.
My here is where
My history is plagued with chaos
My future guided by the certainty of a land of vision
My present where my owns lie
Now in a house
Of metals and bricks,
Inhaling the scent of freedom,
I hear and see bloodshed afar.
My there is there
In the boxed world.
I watch tamil films at home
Holly and Bolly ones
In theatres.
Singing and dancing
on Holly-Bolly music,
I go for trips to the dreamlands.
Flying to the unknown
with the touch of a button.
My there.
My there is where
The vision of the past is blurred by Time,
The present by incomprehension,
The future maybe in Moon’s cupped lap.
I am in a cube,
Surrounded by water,
Soaked by the whims of the Sky,
Where do I belong?
My where is here
and there.
Contact the Author -
rajnigopaul@yahoo.co.uk
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