Lamenting Shadows Poem by Usman Hanif

On the far bank of the river
A small lantern hangs in the dark
A small halo hovers around it
And rest of the night mourns,
at the sight of the dying light...

I sit there along the near bank
the water stagnates like my blood
Numb with the paralysis of the cold sight
I breathe the ephemeral breaths of hope...

'They all died while constructing the bridge
Went afloat in front of my eyes
And since then i'm sitting there;
watching the dying lantern,
hoping for any of them to come out
But neither they come out nor the light dies...

I'm breathless, tearless, lone, lifeless...
And the darknes laments at the sight;
The sight reflected in my dead eyes,
The sight of the dying lantern...

Sometime, when the light would die
I'd embrace my friends,
I'll embrace my friends begone
I'll embrace the lamenting shadows...'

21-02-2009