Solitude Of Deserts Poem by Aniruddha Pathak

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 |