Friday 14 September 2012

Pack up


When I am away, I do not miss your charm
I don’t weep over the beards of banyan trees,
the spikes of straight, but profusely eccentric palms
or the way the paddies shiver in the breeze.

The desert has its bleakness, and its place.
Its magnificence spills over its bare flanks
its vastness controlled with an exact grace
that knows to stop just short of river banks.


So when I am away, I’ve learnt not to long
for your skies, still blue in the darkest night
for the conch shell’s deep-throated, tranquil song
that sets the dawn saffron hour alight.


I’ve learnt to find your face in all landforms
hefting this homelessness of two homes.



Linked to FormForAll@dVerse

Posted because we were talking here about homesickness of the expat variety triggered by autumn recently, and because I love sonnets. 

18 comments:

  1. The natural beauty painted by your words becomes a work of art rising off the page. Beautiful Elizabethan structure to this sonnet, and the true sound of your voice. Perhaps the line length and meter does vary a little, it doesn't detract from the beauty of the poem. Well done.

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    1. Thank you for coming over and the detailed feedback. Truly appreciated.

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  2. finding its face in all landforms...homesickness is such a strong emotion and not easy to keep it under control..i like the way you found to "master" it..

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    1. A book of verses, a jug of wine....n I can skip the singing :)...poetry I find is a good antiseptic ointment for all heartsicknesses....thanks for your comment

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  3. smiles...nice closure on this...it def rings of longing and missing...to be far from home is not an easy feeling at all...and if you can catch just a glimpse it might surely bring ease...

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    1. Agree, lucky thing the planet's beautiful everywhere...thank you for being here.

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  4. I recognize this feeling so well.. living in two countries is something I've experienced for the past 20 years.

    I enjoyed the images and specific flavours you created and 'hefting this homelessness' is a strong phrase to end with.

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    1. Thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed the sonnet...living in two countries is a privilege wrapped in hardship, imho..and it has a way of broadening horizons that no amount of other travelling does

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  5. Your 'conch' took me straight to the Lord of the Flies. Your poetry is beautifully crafted Nilanjana. I can also relate to the 'homelessness of two homes' as I live in two places for work reasons. How eloquent you put it.

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    1. Thank you Denise! Good to see you here..and glad you enjoyed my sonnet...the other side of the argument is that home is anywhere the heart is...anywhere the loved ones are...lived in two countries for half my years now..

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  6. Beautifully done, Nilanjana!! I loved this one.

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    1. Thank you for stopping here. Very glad you enjoyed the poetry. Appreciate your comment truly.

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  7. Strange feeling homesick. I haven't lived in my birth area for nearly 40 years and none of the houses and neighbourhoods even exist now but I still get a sudden buzz if it's name or a local news story appears

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    1. I can so relate to that!! and I find every place that I have lived at, becomes part of that "buzz" as I move around...thank you for the visit and comments

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  8. I love where you have gone with this - unexpected poetry in the word "not". Excellent and quirky non-iambic pentameter adds to the reading pleasure.

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  9. I am not very comfortable with iambs n meters...strictly non-iambic type...play it by the ear and pray it doesn't jar too much is the policy...very pleased to know quirky is okay. Thank you for your comment!

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  10. FootNotes to self:
    "hefting": to life, to hoist, to carry

    Fun rimes and then half-rimes and aliterations in the abrupt couplet -- nice!

    So may I ask? Where are these two homes that make you homeless? Perhaps, instead, you are richly-homed or home-filled.

    PS -- ooops, I see you don't have turned on the ability to follow comments -- I will never know if you answered my question. Sniffle.

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  11. Thanks for being here and the feedback. You are quite right abt homelessness equalling a richness of homes, I define my home wherever I am...and this is another take on the same qn

    http://nilabose.blogspot.com/2012/02/accented.html

    Enjoyed your sonnet very much indeed!

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