The Chisel Of A Rose Petal Poem by Rajnish Rajan

A heart of stone to others' eyes,
But I am he where sculpture lies.
I give the rock its face and form,
To make the cold and lifeless warm.

A breaker was he, in his pride,
With nothing but his ego inside.
His clumsy hands, his vain intent,
Left my own love in stone, all spent.

I'll carve with grace, though you may flee,
From Love's Deep Pain, I'll set you free.
Resist as much as you might dare,
I'll shape your image from the air.

To polish every grain is mine,
So let your whims and graces shine.
From every atom, small and true,
I'll mold a beloved out of you.

Wait, stay a while, let feelings bloom,
Why leave a silence in this room?
I've carved each speck, now let us hear,
A lovely voice, so sweet and clear.

Unmatched your skill in showing pride,
But my own longing now has died.
No shadows left, no hollow ache,
For you are mine, for my heart's sake.

Forget the 'ifs', forget the 'why',
If you weren't 'you', my art would die.
With a rose-leaf chisel, soft and light,
Why would I carve you, day and night
© Rajnish Rajan
Translated from a hindi poem
'Barg e Gulab ki chheni' written by Rajnish Rajan.