Poem

All I ask, the Heaven above..

~ Madame Zenista ~ 31 Comments

The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge:  The Road Taken   and Wanderlust
(Update: Umm… so having felt a …er..wee bit guilty about using a post from a past challenge, here is the dedicated one for Wanderlust: Oh Wanderlust! The places you take me… ) 

Enroute to Macknac Island, Michigan. Skyscspe # 010. #nofilter

All I Ask Is Heaven Above…

LUMINOUS sapphire skies
Woolgathering in glee
Blowing thinking-clouds
Bubbles of fantasy…

IN amber fairy dust
Blooms n’ buzzing bees
Racing to the horizon
The rolling emerald fields

THIS wanderlust I love
Nothing more I seek
All I ask, the heaven above
And the road below me…

********

Road Trip. 2016. To Mackinac Island. Some iPhone pictures of the road, taken on the road. No filter or enhancing was needed for the stunning blues and greens.

Blue sky white clouds green fields Upper Pure Michigan UP madame-zenista.com summer
Rolling fields in somewhere in northern Michigan. Skyscape # 011. #nofitler

On reaching the Mackinaw City, we took a ferry to the Mackinac Island all bikes no motor vehicles.

Mackinac Island Street Biking Upper Pure Michigan UP madame-zenista.com summer
The road in Mackinac Island where only bikes are allowed. Summer 2016.
Mackinac Island Lilac Tree Hotel madame-Zenistacom summer bikes
This ‘Lilac Tree Hotel’ by the roadside sporting lilac flower baskets. Mackinac Island.

Ever since I read it the first time in high school, R.L. Stevenson’s The Vagabond stayed with as a beautiful memory appealing my ‘wanderer self’.  I LOVE this poem. I cant help but reproduce it here and see if you feel it speak to your soul as it did to mine.

The Vagabond by Robert Louis Stevenson

Give to me the life I love,
Let the lave go by me,
Give the jolly heaven above
And the byway night me.
Bed in the bush with stars to see,
Bread I dip in the river —
There’s the life for a man like me,
There’s the life for ever.
Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o’er me;
Give the face of earth around
And the road before me.
Wealth I seek not, hope nor love,
Nor a friend to know me;
All I seek, the heaven above
And the road below me.
Or let autumn fall on me
Where afield I linger,
Silencing the bird on tree,
Biting the blue finger;
White as meal the frosty field —
Warm the fireside haven —
Not to autumn will I yield,
Not to winter even!
Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o’er me;
Give the face of earth around,
And the road before me.
Wealth I ask not, hope, nor love,
Nor a friend to know me.
All I ask, the heaven above
And the road below me.

I struggle…

~ Madame Zenista ~ 6 Comments

It is when one is in despair and depression that there is struggle, and danger of falling in a deep dark pit that is very difficult to come out of. Or there is possibility of light, albeit a flicker, at the end of the tunnel, should one take those heavy first steps.  A poem written several years back still gives me hope to go on. To keep running…

See my other entry for Danger is here.

image
The sun close to the horizon. Sunset, or sunrise, depends on the perception. Skyscape # 011

I struggle to go on with no light in sight
Like a runner out-of-breath and hope, halfway
Books, nor the Scripture, seems to come to my rescue
My knock on the Heavens doors falls on deaf ears!
I struggle to go on with no light in sight..
I come to you who is busy in a world not mine
Cant you tell in my indifferent pretense?
Read my eyes honey, I am breaking down!
I struggle to go on, but give up the fight
Where do I go and what do I do!
None but me knows my suffering the best
Almost dead, and without hope, I come back to me
I don’t struggle anymore, I just give in, hopeless
Thats when is born pure strength, a twin to my suffering
That takes me in its arms and wipes my tears
Whence did That come, who art Thou?
I catch some breath and start running again…

I smile…

~ Madame Zenista ~ 4 Comments

Flowers in my room bring warmth and color

The wind plays music whisking the wind chime

The delightful daffodils and tulips  tender

Tell me now its my time!

Bless those barren dim days

And cold nights with hope none

‘Coz in a different light I notice the rays

Brighter so now, like a just-arrived sun!

Smile smile, life is beautiful

Just blissful, peaceful and content be

Turn  inwards to a huge world within

And you’ll smile to whatever you see!

Home away from home…

~ Madame Zenista ~ Leave a comment

Before coming to the US as a student, I came over to visit my brother Shomit for a few months. The idea was that I get a good change. Having come here I got introduced to his gang of friends- Oakley Mitra Mandal (OMM) as they called themselves-  and a whole new world full of best things! This group of people had dreams in their eyes and a strong bond that would never weaken. Amidst restaurants and movies, chai parties and philosophy, discussions and dreams that would go on until the wee hours of the day, I found myself rejuvenating! One of the best times of my life, I treasure those days and am full of gratitude to my brother and OMM. This was written then as a parting gift dedicated to OMM:
 

I flew from home, to a land unknown

To my brother, on a foreign shore

Did not know what was in store

Just to switch off, and nothing more

 

Here the buildings kissed the sky

They were ambitions and dreams, in concrete

Manifesting themselves so tall and high

Showing how you could, if you really wanna fly

 

I came to not to a house, but a family

The houses albeit four, but one home really

Every pair of eye exuded warmth and ardor

And the smiles for me always, I treasure truly.

 

We met often in evenings for coffee

And talked and talked and wined and dined

I relished every bit, for, from worry I would flee

‘N talked till it was dawn again, and again time for tea

 

With them I danced, with them I played

They showed me the colors of life; they didn’t let ‘em fade

They made me feel special, in their ways so grand

I knew how Alice must’ve felt in wonderland

 

I had my share of bliss, and its time to leave

My heart fills with gratitude for Shomit, more than I grieve

And for his gift of you all to me to cherish

A memory of my best days that would never perish

 

When in someday of my life ahead, I wonder

After a long day’s work, somewhere across seas yonder

I would want to run back to you all, alone

When they say, “baby its time to go home”…

 

 

~ Sonali  for OMM. (Oct 2004)