Childhood, What A Cherished Song Poem by Aniruddha Pathak
Childhood, What A Cherished Song
I still remember Madhavas1 so well,
A water-hole to unwind in sweltering June,
From crusty school-fields to dusty farm-fields,
And do-nothings— morn to night's silver noon!
How once we arrived in a bullock cart
That moved in a matching speed with the night—
All of eight miles that lied apart,
We reached as the dark night kissed dawn good light.
I was one amid a cart-load
Of kids most of whom were sleepy,
My sleep hijacked was by stars and planets,
Who too no less excited seemed to me.
The oxen pair called each to each,
The cart-man when sang clearing his throat,
At dawn, stars too tired went to sleep,
We reached— wrapped in a dusty coat.
And then I heard a bird singing
Close by, that proclaimed reign of dawn,
A few more birds called confirming,
In symphony welcomed newly-born morn.
Once there I met river Mahi2
That'd charmed old folks to choose this place,
Flowing bank to bank all seasons,
Some elders told us old tales of her face.
The village was because the river was,
Its life along the flowing waters flowed—
From pre-bath chores and all-after,
Swim and loiter till sun to zenith strode.
Or else, we chose choicest mangoes
Which, my month-long pass-time was,
Men guarding fields our only foes,
And roaming lush green fields, no pause!
And one month passed like one short turn,
All day was song— sun-rise to sun-set,
And soon alas it was time to return—
To tired routine by elders set, no let.
A lot gets lost when from tired mind,
How this imprint lasts for so long?
We live and leave a lot behind
But childhood, what a cherished song!
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Madhavas1: A small village in west-central hills of Gujarat, and a native place of my father.
Mahi2: One of the major rivers in Gujarat.
A revised version is here. The old caption: Madhavas on river Mahi.
Akhtar Jawad
A journey so poetically described that it enchants its readers, I feel as if I was also there with you. Thanks Pathak Ji for sharing this poem. (Report) Reply
Aniruddha Pathak(2/11/2019 6: 00: 00 AM)
Beautiful sentiments, Ahtar Jawad, Madhavas was my father's native place. Alas, very little is left of it save some memories. some pictures are very vividly etched within. Thank you.
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Nostalgia | 03.09.12 |
Topic: village, remember, childhood
A lot gets lost when from tired mind, How this imprint lasts for so long? We live and leave a lot behind But childhood, what a cherished song! - - - - - -A lovely poem of reminiscence - - I particularly like the line - - - -]But childhood, what a cherished song! '
It is perhaps the innocence attached to childhood that makes it a cherished song. It is sad that we must lose this innocence as we grow. The culprit I think is knowledge, and do they say, innocence is bliss. Thanks for your beautiful comments.
Nostalgia for childhood days is fascinatingly depicted in this beautiful poem. My favourite lines: The village was because the river was/Its life along the flowing waters flowed/From pre-bath chores and all-after/Swim and loiter till sun to zenith strode. Loved reading this fabulous poem sir.....10
Thank you Dr Swain. Sometimes I revisit my poems of old, revise and edit or delete and upload again. This was one such. My favourite poem of childhood with a lot memories attached. My love of nature perhaps comes from this old association.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/4/2024 6:40:20 AM # 1.0.0.1119
We live and leave a lot behind But childhood, what a cherished song! Childhood is unquestionably the best period of one's life. When the elders look back, the carefree days come before them arousing a lot of nostalgic memories. I often long to go back to those days and have written many poems extolling childhood. Reading your poem, a lot of beautiful memories have come rushing through my mind! Thank you for sharing your reminiscences.....
The biggest problem with urbanization is: we lose touch with nature. But this need not be if urbanization is planned a little better. yet, what comes in our way is greed, not only that of individuals, but also of government and civil authorities. For the last 4-5 months I am not in Baroda, but in even a bigger place Called Bangalore, and still amidst lot of nature, and I feel the difference. Thank you for the comments.