Like nothing else is life in dry deserts—
An anvil to get tamed man's attitudes,
And tougher more a teacher than green woods—
As if a new man, man from it reverts.
Men of world when tire, retire to forests,
Who, might as well in deserts choose to live,
Desolate still is Nature, men its guests,
In solitude men its blessings receive.
Aloud, lessons of life do forests teach,
Thickly wooded that are, wild be whose life
With birds and beasts, butterflies, beetles rife,
But silent does a desert to men preach.
Wonder if God made this sandy White Sea
To induce from man a belated smile—
On spotting a solitary palm tree,
O to feel as if he's in a green isle.
And if in wet woods there's a silver line,
Dry deserts shower a golden sunshine.
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A few years back I spent some hot and cold weeks in deserts of Rajasthan, where solitude reigns as in forests. But I realise, the solitude of deserts is way apart. This piece shows how.
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Musings | 08.02.11 |
Thank you Gajanan Mishra, I have not lived in deserts as such but visited often and stayed there for long enought o experience its unique milieu.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Occasionally we long to withdraw into silence from all the din and bustle of the world! The sages of past used to seek the solitude of the forest or of the desert where new avenues of thought and experiences were unfolded before them! Of course life in the desert cannot be that enchanting as that in a forest! However, Silence and solitude will help us revamp our frayed nerves! A beautiful poem on the bliss of solitude!
I agree with you, as does my piece, and thank you, you patiently read a rather longish poem. Today I think the attention span of people is rapidly getting shorter, and while I say so, often I'm no exception