Birthday Brood

Standing before my bookshelves

I gaze at the books fondly.

I remember you, I tell one,

Do you, the nights we spent together?

You made me laugh, cry, you made me angry

And yet you gave me peace too, and great joy!

Yes, yes, I nod at another, you too, of course.

They all look back at me, smiling gently,

These souls who have been with me for so long.

I look at them and at those I haven’t read

Perhaps – no, quite likely - never will.

The night is quiet; silence broken only by the old ceiling fan.

Browsing through my CDs, I look at the pictures

The places I have been to, the faces I have seen.

I smile at the old files, remnants of countless attempts

At setting the world right; how wanton I have been with words!

How I had dreamt! How valorous I have been and oh, how naïve!

Here in these pages lie my words, my dreams, myself

Glittering , scattering like confetti in an evening sun.

There are so many places I haven’t seen

So many books I haven’t read

So many songs I haven’t heard

So many things I haven’t done–

Oh! There is so much, so much of love I haven’t had!

**************** Balachandran V, Trivandrum, 11.02.2011

painting courtesy : http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24456032