Vignettes of a South African Township called Mdantsane

Friday, May 13, 2011

The Poetry of Liu Xiaobo 2

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Longing to Escape


for my wife

abandon the imagined martyrs
I long to lie at your feet, besides
being tied to death this is
my one duty
when the heart’s mirror-
clear, an enduring happiness

your toes will not break
a cat closes in behind
you, I want to shoo him away
as he turns his head, extends
a sharp claw toward me
deep within his blue eyes
there seems to be a prison
if I blindly step out
of with even the slightest
step I’d turn into a fish.

Published in Pen American Centre
Pen Drawing by Amitabh Mitra

3 comments:

  1. Wow Amitabh.Another good piece of drawing from you...usha

    ReplyDelete
  2. My Fear is Complete


    I don’t have a friend


    As I travel the night


    Lurking creatures rustle


    Half hidden from sight







    Self imposed enemies


    And forms of delusion


    Create the fear


    That feeds my confusion







    I flee in a panic


    To find my way home


    My distrust and my greed


    Assure I’m alone







    Falling shadows


    Creep cross my path


    Pointing black fingers


    They all start to laugh







    They know that I’m totally


    Lost to myself


    The joker of spades


    Is what I’ve been dealt







    With aching bones


    And too heavy a load


    I’m alone and confused


    At a fork in the road







    As I try to decide


    Which path will be right


    I can’t catch my breath


    And I’m losing my sight







    I limp in pain


    On down the road


    My mind is dim


    And my spirit is cold







    A black throated wind


    Blows cross my heart


    I wish for a new day


    To make a new start







    I’d treat my new friends


    With loving compassion


    To help those in need


    Would become my passion







    But I lived my life


    As cold as the stones


    Stacked up to cover


    A pile of bones







    Selfish worms


    Ate the flesh in this grave


    And now myself


    I can’t even save







    I can’t even stand


    My own constitution


    And burning in hell


    I’ll pay restitution







    My demons will smile


    Because they know they have won


    As they pierce me with swords


    As hot as the sun







    Burning swords


    Of truth and justice


    Slice away all


    After which I had lusted







    Why could not I be happy?


    With all I’d been blessed


    With deceitful passion


    I stole from the rest







    But now in the distance


    I see my temporal home


    Where I hoard all my objects


    And I’m always alone







    I can’t believe


    That with all I had stole


    I can’t begin to fill


    This hole in my soul







    I unlock the gate


    And turn to the right


    My logic and reason


    Have fled into the night







    I hear wings flapping


    Was it that of a dove?


    How could I miss it before?


    What I needed was love







    I hobble up


    The crumbling old stairs


    In this cold realm


    Where nobody cared







    Through the door


    And into my place


    Where empty nothingness


    Fills up the space







    With eyes of deception


    And lips of deceit


    With myself as my enemy


    My fear is complete



    http://darkestpartoflight.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-fear-is-complete_7727.html

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