Need Poem by Ranita Badudu

When I see a thing of beauty -
artistic, manmade, natural, does it matter?
- whole symphonies burst to life in colors
In my mind; but only I can hear it

And I try to tell others of these creatures of
Unearthly hues that dominate my mind
But all I get are uncomprehending stares
And the insufficient words die in my throat

And yet there's this yearning to let these gorgeous
Birds of paradise live and actually live in
The aural world, to bring joy and wonder.
I want to share them; I need to share them

But how do I describe the music that I hear?
The sonorous colors, the shimmering harmonies, the heart-wrenching melodies?
I know how it sounds, I can hear it in my mind
But I can't write it down, and I can't sing all the lines

And I can't let all these sounds die with me
I can't let these physical provokers of emotion just
Not exist outside my mind; I must write it down somehow
But I can't; I don't know how

How can I sing that beauty?
How can I sing these beings of
Exquisite craftsmanship?
How do I share the music that I hear?

(For when they're given life they're never
Quite as vibrant and never quite as brilliant
As they were inside my head; not ev'n
A third as breath-takingly alive)

So how do I describe the music that I hear?
It wants to touch hearts and minds, bring tears
I know how it sounds, I can hear it in my mind
But I can't write it down, and I can't sing all the lines

'Cause I can't let these sounds die with me
And I can't let these heart-movers
Not move people's hearts; I must write it down somehow
But I can't; I don't know how

I only know that I can’t let them die
But how do I describe the music that I hear?



(6 March 2014)