The Last Curtain Poem by Aniruddha Pathak

When blossoms glow with autumn’s fading dew
And painted get with rainbow’s radiant hue,
Opening up with the dawn’s dewy light,
Ending the darkling nippy long night;

Red and white Parijats1 when choose to fall
In a bed of blossoms bewitching all,
The Sapt-parnis2 when their fragrance spread,
And whole neighbourhood when turns curious head;

The woods when get nigh bare or leafless lean,
Brooks choose to meander as if not keen,
And the wintry chills when tend to portend,
The aged year reaches eventful end;

And heavens preparing to summon me
Back, if or not I can that well foresee—
My life’s autumn chooses when to unfold
Unto cold winter—calling me nigh old,

I may perhaps, what old eyes can, see clear
That the hour of my end is drawing near,
Me in grey wonder on last fall of falls,
When my life’s saga its last curtain calls.
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1. Parijats: White or reddish yellow flowers
predominantly seen around autumn. The blossom
is believed in Indic lore to have been brought
down from heaven during ancient times. The
flowers fall off on their own, overnight, as
if a bed-sheet is spread under this medium-sized
tree.

2. Sapt-parnis: The darling of most plantations and
gardens. The tree has green elongated leaves in a
bunch of seven (sapta = seven; parnis=of leaves) ,
which always remain bright green all through the
year. These flowers too blossom around autumn
in a bulbous bouquet and are known for their
heady fragrance that spreads far and wide.
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- Musings | 04.12.08 |