GOPAL LAHIRI

 

Saplings

 

1.

 

I walk with the God.

over the hills

and over the valleys

to ease me with warm touching.

 

A tune without music

I tell myself all those things.

 

2.

 

I see a swirling calligraphy,

pinks, pastel yellows, and oranges,

they are clouds in riotous plenty.

 

I start the day in happiness.

 

3.

 

I will go to the pen and paper

write my poems,

two departures with nothing

in between,

you read them only

to reach the limits of ourselves.

©gopallahiri

 

 

Shoots

 

1.

 

Looking for the place

where it all stops

maybe I will reach, someday, somewhere.

 

Who can tell?

 

Do not ask me to say more.

 

2.

 

There we stand

our light magics

at the last hour.

 

No one knows this,

But us- we know.

They will find out only later.

 

3.

 

And now I will tell you the truth

Let the people

Let the people come

 

At lease, closer.

 

Poetry is no longer-

It is no longer emptiness.

©gopallahiri

 

Other Side

 

In the café we sit at the corner

back to the wall.

 

There just you, me.

And the drowsy metaphors.

 

Our fingers are dry leaves.

We are a dying harmony.

 

They sound like a metal, heartless.

They are not willing to listen.

 

They say quietly,

everyone must be somewhere.

 

They say unknown creatures

who smell like us.

 

Look at the other side

Has there ever been a green as green?

©gopallahiri

 

GOPAL LAHIRI

 

GOPAL LAHIRI is a Kolkata based bilingual poet, editor, critic and translator and published in English and Bengali language. He has authored 29 books (19 in English and 10 in Bengali) to his credit that includes three solo edited collections of English poetry on Jallianwala Bagh, translations of Tagore songs, Voices Within, and four jointly edited collections of English poetry on Indo-American Anthology, Scaling Heights, Home Anthology and Poetry Conclave Anthology. His translation work (From English to Bengali) of short stories of Israel was published by National Book Trust.  His poetry is also published across various anthologies and in eminent journals of India and abroad. His poems are translated in 16 languages. He has been nominated for Pushcart Prize for poetry in 2021. He is the recipient of the Poet of the Year Award in Destiny Poets, UK, 2016, Setu Excellence Award, 2020, Pittsburgh, US. His latest collection of poems ‘Alleys are Filled with Future Alphabets.’ has received Pan Asian Ukiyoto awards.