Two Poems By Rajesh Joshi

anding on this side of the river
I didn't think for a second
I couldn't cross it
I didn't sway
I didn't budge
The only visible thing was the ferry
That had to carry me further
The bridge was thin and small
I took one step at a time
Lightly , delicately
Eyes all on my feet
One step at a time

No glancing this way or that way
Light as a feather
Strong as a mountain
Balanced like a bird
Perched atop a hanging branch
With the faith of a blind man
The fineness of a dancer
And there I was
With my first step
Firm and strong
In the ferry
Unable to believe
I had done it
Till date it is hard to believe
How could I do it
But whenever I find
A path hard to tread
A task difficult to tend
I remind myself
How once I crossed a bridge small and thin
And then
There is no hindrance worth my weight ....

2-

Oh ! So you want to decipher ,
What am I ,
By looking into my eyes ,
Oh , my dear ,
That's not gonna be ,
Here are layers and layers ,
Lying there ,Sediments deposited various ,
Strata multifarious ;A layer of alienation ,
With which was I born ,
Quite responsible ,
For me being love- lorn ,
A layer of pains and pangs ,
And grief and sorrow ,
Which darkened many a morrow ,
A layer of separations numberless ,
At the hands of life or death ,
A layer of love , deep love ,
Resuscitating ,
Wrenching hard ,
Crossing oceans , flying high ,
At God 's will ,
Subtly , harshly ,
Metamorphosing nigh ,
A layer of peace and bliss ,
And solitude ,
Of acceptance and gratitude ;
How can you say ,
Which layer is me ,
That or that or this be ,
I am a mass of them all ,
On me does wondrous ,
Beauteous nature glee ,
Birds sing , flowers blossom ,
Love bursts in magical springs ,
Don't you try to decipher
You just can't ,
Just by looking into my eyes ,
Into my heart ,
You have to delve deep ,
But beware ,
Many an oceanic tear ,
You might have to weep