Come, Teach Me To Fly! Poem by Angelina Pandian

The long plaintive call of the Kol
Singing alone, calling to her mate
Calling out to the mountains, the forests
Searching among clouds, among stars
In the dark shadow of the waves
In the speck against the moon.
Other birds have gone to nest
She still wings the sky high and low
Looking, searching and calling
Calling out, calling out aloud
Unsure whether her cry
Reached the ear of her mate
Now she becomes silent
Listening for his answering cry
Is it the wind in the pine tree
Is it the wind on the waves
Or yet the sound of her own soul
Echoed and re-echoed empty in space.
The wind becomes silent, saying,
Hush to the pine trees and waves
The heavy and still silences
Magnifies the cry of the bird.
Hearing her song, seeing
With unseeing eyes
Blurred with tears – Tears
Tears for the bird, feeling her pain
Her heartache, her fears _ Maybe
Un-comprehended yet,
Tears in fear of loneliness.
Tears, tears for myself –Crying
For this lonely cry from the soul
Has raised up half-remembered dreams,
Dreams where I reach out and cry
Dreams where I know not where you are,
Dreams, from which I wake up wet eyed.
I am frightened, I’m alone, all alone
The song of the bird is the song of my soul
Come, my love! Hide not from me
Take my hand, comfort and reassure me
Let my fears pass away,
Like some forgotten noon daydream,
Silence my cry with a song from your lips
And teach me to fly – With you
From this night into a glorious day!