Skip to content


Sunset by the River……


The chimneys at the other bank cough out muffled ire.
The dogged looking little boats seem to be on fire
In hope of lighting up the sky mimic starry quiver
Yet in languid meander swell the lazy river.



Of lovers in their sweet embrace, untouched by all vice
In corners within kisses deep, lust lives in disguise.
Vendors in their tattered best, invite in their voice
Vie to make a meal for night. A virgin makes her choice.


Curiosity peeps to see, if filth could find its path
To banks of sacred pilgrimage. A Brahmin takes his bath.
The silent tale of Ghats in play, the river sullen, quiet.
As sunset kisses whiskey-skies, pheasants take their flight.

 


Posted in Poems.



26 Responses

Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.

  1. dilip krishnan says

    the susnest by the river is always a grand spectacle. in this poem, you have given new dimensions to the sunset, its varied hues, the lights and shadows that emerge in its wake - all by the riverside…

  2. Prabhu Nair says

    .. but it ended when I started spreading wings! It was lovely Zeus :)

  3. K B says

    Bally Bridge? Whiskey Skies? Lovely poem…

  4. Jolly Jacob says

    Lovely word-painted poem !!!

  5. binny bunnz says

    nicely composed….good one…

  6. V T says

    Very good poem, the hidden beauty. I liked ur choice of picture.

  7. maidn india says

    Gentle poetry, sees beauty amidst abject poverty and squalor. Mellow tones in the picture set it off too. ZZ, you must LOVE the place, surely.

  8. nilima dahat says

    ultimate wow

  9. Shailey says

    too good

  10. Indigo Iris says

    loved the way you painted this picturesque scene…

  11. mesha bhat says

    One of your better one’’s….conjures an evocative image of a sage river meandering through the beauty and the filth…oblivious to all but its own destiny.Lovely pic as well…….

  12. shivani narula says

    The pic and the poem made me nostalgic of my kolkata visit reminding me of the massive Hoogly and the awesome Howrah Bridge!…and ditto kush…

  13. Kush A says

    Not that it is incomplete but I”d rather it went on till another at least two three stanzas more. You ended it early, perhaps? Several stanzas would have evoked several image making it more beautiful, don”t you think? Nice one, anyway!

  14. meena sundar says

    NICE ONE!

  15. budhoose kanjoose says

    wonderful post

  16. Samprati Me says

    An Intangible… Subtle Feeling did it evoke in my mind… & I felt filled with the experience… Deep Regards… Pra~! :O)

  17. Lissome Lady says

    You have caught the mood beautifully with very powerful images: Chimneys coughing muffled ire, boats on fire mimicking the starry quiver, languid meander, curiosity peeps to see if filth could find its path, tattered best, whiskey skies :) I like it all. Superb word play. Salut!

  18. aravind das says

    felt like sitting beside the river

  19. PGR NAIR says

    An alluring vignette….Has a languid rhythm. May be the river can sanitize the sins of the Ghat. Loved that Whiskey metaphor……PGR

  20. CitiGirl says

    Wonderful. Do I sense a general mistrust in life and also a sense of surrender ?

  21. Trishna Mumbai says

    life rolls by the riverside…T

  22. sahil banga says

    lovely….

  23. Stylish Gal says

    o!o!
    the first para - typically ur style of english
    the second para - significantly forcing to read in between the lines…beautifully crafted
    the third - a lovely depiction of commoner
    ofcourse! I can sense this discussion going further than the comment box!! :)

  24. Krishnaswamy Narasimhan says

    Described with apt and subtle words. especially, “Curiosity peeps to see, if filth could find its path to banks of sacred pilgrimage. A Brahmin takes his bath.”. I really deprecate this tendency on the part of many Indians, irrespective of whether a Brahmin or any body is taking bath or not.

  25. Honey Kumar says

    ummmm…wht lovely atmosphere u create …..lust and vices burn up the spices…….whoaaa