In The Paling Light Poem by Valsa George

In The Paling Light

Rating: 5.0


Behind me, I hear
The receding roar of years
It sends chills down my spine
Beads of sweat pop up on my brow
What did I do all these years?
Did I sleep through half my life
Hibernating in my burrow
Did I keep the promises vouched?
Live up to the resolutions made?
Could I light a fire in gloom?
Did I wipe a tear?
Could I bring a smile to anyone dear?

For me, no more springing steps
But a fast withering torso
So awkward and unsure,
I look on to the track ahead
As the race winds down
And the final turn in sight

Once my life has been a round of cheer
But no more can I cling onto those days so dear
‘Much have I seen and known’
Yet how little!
To what all places I have been!
How much joy and pain shared!
How many dreams I dreamt!
Now in this paling light, I stay
Brooding over joys missed
Conjuring unfulfilled longings
Coiling back all the way to the start

I am an autumn leaf
Now turned red,
And about to shed.
As the world goes wheeling through
Somehow I am pushing through
Waiting for that tightening grip
Of an unknown caller’s powerful fist!
How am I going to respond to it?
With regret or delight
I am not sure

Do the journey that lies ahead
Take me to a sunlit abode
Oh, don’t ask me
I am not quite sure!

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Valsa George 17 July 2013

Dear Thomas, Thanks for your words of assurance! Your comment is a poem in itself which I enjoyed much!

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David Wood 17 July 2013

I agree with Thomas below. Life is never over until God calls you so we have to live it as best we can and bring benefit to others that will give us joy.

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Chandra Thiagarajan 17 July 2013

Your thoughts are luculent and splendorous and one is carried away by them! I especially liked the lines- I am an autumn leaf / Now turned red / And about to shed- - the last para ' is the high light of the poem, Valsa! Enjoyed!

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Tirupathi Chandrupatla 17 July 2013

One cannot keep thinking of the past of wasted time, missed opportunities, all things unsaid and so on. The paling light invites one to revisit these very things. Time to recoup and march on. Journey will end anyway. Nice poem reminiscing the bygone days.

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Kavya . 18 July 2013

nicely penned recalling the past days, where we reach a stage wondering have v done anything worth fruitful in all these days...........this thought itself is an opportunity to regain the lost opportunity before the final call comes! a gud write Mam

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Kumarmani Mahakul 25 August 2018

As the world goes wheeling through Somehow I am pushing through Waiting for that tightening grip Of an unknown caller’s powerful fist! How am I going to respond to it? With regret or delight I am not sure.............touching expression with nice theme. A beautiful poem nicely executed. Thanks for sharing.10

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Deepak Kumar Pattanayak 17 November 2014

Between life and death lies a path wrapped up in many a dream, many a hope, many a joy, many a sorrow Yet we tread on to reach at last the post and pause to look back in the paling light to see what we have succeeded, yet days well spent or ill spent carry us to the end........Valsa.....great write as always

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Amitava Sur 21 November 2013

A beautiful penning about the complexity of a human life mingled between fear - joy, openness - meanness. confidence - doubts etc, Perhaps this itself is life.... always in a dilemma.

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Heather Wilkins 22 July 2013

when we have done our best no more is expected. but we must look to te future with hop. nice write

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Walterrean Salley 20 July 2013

A poem filled with longing. When we’ve done our absolute best, then our hearts can confidently look up with assurance—especially in the paling of light. An absolutely wonderful rendering of verse.

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