Tierra del Fuego, Land of Fire! How further long
How many days and nights – or would it be months and years
Or – would it be never, I shudder to think.
How further long would you come to me in my sleep
In my waking hours, in my walks in the mountains
How further long would it be when I touch you finally?
Tierra del Fuego, you have remained a dream
Decades old, when unable to resist you, I tore off a picture
And kept you in my treasure chest, locked in the depths of my heart!
I yearned for you so much, Tierra del Fuego!
I yearned for you so much, Tierra del Fuego!
You were a kindred soul in my tempestuous youth.
Your trees twisted in the storm
Your trees twisted in the storm
Storms, passionate and intense,
Raging waves lashing against the cliffs
Raging waves lashing against the cliffs
Snow-bound peaks, aloof, saying, ' No, no further!'
Yet I could see in you a heart wanting to be loved, wanting
To be understood, silently asking, ' look at me, I am not just
The ravaged, savage land that you see' - I knew you as I know me!
In my dreams you burn, your snows and blizzards and open vast lands
Your cruel seas, screaming winds and gently flowing streams!
My fingers tremble, my heart flutters as I see you, as I see men standing -
All I have are your pictures, I chant your name as I have, as I will for years!
Tierra del Fuego! Look at me. In my dreams I do not climb your mountains
I do not fish your streams, I do not scamper over your craggy landscape.
Somewhere, somewhere in you, I stand leaning on a rock, looking out
To the land's end and beyond the seas, in my dreams I caress
A stone, moss-covered - I slip it into my pocket, close to my heart!
*************** Balachandran V, Trivandrum, 07-08-2011
Such a craze for the land of fire...
ReplyDeleteTierra del Fuego, I hear ye call
Ushuaia, I hear ye call
fin del mundo, aqui vengo
;-)
@B: That's it, am gonna learn Spanish! ( Thanks anyway to Google translate) By any chance, B, if you are going to the End of the World, promise to write to me every SINGLE DETAIL! Now, to answer your earlier question, I'll tell the whole world that my friend has been to Tierra del Fuego. And B, that's one promise I've made to myself, I'll go there one day!
ReplyDeleteYour passion for the dreamland,Tierra del Fuego is absolutely visible in the lines.The images,the visuals are so clear and paining and I loved
ReplyDelete'looking at your trees twisted in the storm,
Storms, passionate and intense,
At the raging waves lashing against the cliffs
At the snow-bound peaks, aloof and saying, ' No, no further!'
Yet I could see in you a heart wanting to be loved, wanting
to be understood, silently asking,.."
You are such a blessed writer Balachandran,since I always see certain depth beyond the words,the images you arrange there..
Remembering the lines :
Iniyethra rithukkale kaikooppanam
janmam iniyethra dooram pokenam ....
God bless to take you there soon..And I love to read what you going to scribble from there.
@Melange': Glad you liked the poem. Originally intended to convey my passion for that land, while writing it I remembered the picture I had torn discreetly from a friend's book. Then I suddenly realized why it had appealed to me so much then - it was more or less like me, like my mind - passionate, wild and stormy - I realized that's why I could relate to Tierra del Fuego so much. I also remember that I was obsessed with its name, 'The Land of Fire'.
ReplyDeleteBurning embers still seethes beneath...
May god fulfill your dream to go to The Land OF fire.I had no idea that you have another love other than the Himalayas .Loved every word of your verses .
ReplyDeleteHow many dreams not fulfilled,how many enchantments would one carry to the grave?
ReplyDeleteLook for a streak, just a streak , a lining silver somewhere .
Maybe yet !!!!
Balan,
ReplyDeleteLearn it. Spanish would help a great deal for your travel to Tierra del fuego
Lets hope, if I visit there; I promise to capture and surrender every moment and every detail with you. I sincerely wish and pray that you visit there some day and let that day be soon :)
beautiful lines
ReplyDeleteThough I know nothing of this place of which you write, I can close my eyes and feel the fire, emotion, and love with which you write..I can see the beauty of this place in every line..You have a way with words, Bala, and you have been given the gift of the golden pen..Keep your words flowing for you are indeed a very talented writer.....
ReplyDeleteMay God help you. Nice post.
ReplyDelete