The Lantern In The Storm Poem by lalitha iyer

like the lantern in storm
i am insecure;
left and right I lean against
life and death
equally cheers me ahead
am I alive
I am also dead
dreams appear live
life appears dreamy
serious matters casually glance by
silly things I keenly watch at
my heart quivers;
emotions tremble;
who am I? my mind is zero
I am nearly nothing
thoughts are kidding
pulling my legs
decisions like waves
come and go
squeezing my energies
as they retreat;
chillness surrounds me
at times loneliness freezes me
the dead and unborn companies me
like the lamp in the dark
molten gold drops by
I am waxing like the moon
waning with fantasies
in the tide of life
i am sitting upon paper boat
untied and wild
my life swims to islands distant
starry delights cushions my nights
sundry fish schools stirrs my lights
I am too empty to live
too silly to survive
my passions like soap bubbles
burst into empty airs
as I fly to catch their hairs.

I am the lantern in the storm
sprinkling light
to a few flies
who throb around
in the cold killing night
just they touch upon my glass
and giggle in delight
they kiss my dying flicker
and hug my brooding hotness
happy are they, know not my end nears
that my life half spent, has little to offer
that this lantern is just a spark about to blower.