Lies, Letters and Dirge of the Placid Lake

it’s gently bowing down – the warm sun on the azure sky

millions of frenzied sighs break the stillness

of an unhurried afternoon I spend by the placid lake

and read some letters written long ago but never posted

*

the papers are worn out, brown and yellow

I blink at them, the words are hazy, distorted

mist from the lake has clouded the eyes, I pretend

but the desolation continues to grow

*

I delve into the letters often

they are the reminders of the promises you made

between the fading lines lies the grave

of a thousand lies, you spoke, glibly, slyly

*

the lies of eternal love, of a happy home

the names you chose for our children, never born

the love we added and multiplied with patience

you divided and subtracted your share pence by pence

*

the sky is suddenly overcast, the lake agitated,

the wind howls, sings a mournful ballad

it plucks the perished words from my quivering hands,

the lake creates for them a marshy tomb

*

the sun dissolves itself into the lake,

the dirge of the acrid past fades into the stillness

Ah, they’re dead too – the demons that I harbored

Tethys rises from the lake, envelopes me into a soothing hug

I rise too, with the tranquil moon.

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34 responses to “Lies, Letters and Dirge of the Placid Lake”

  1. Beautiful… And i loved the way it ends on such a positive note.

    1. Thank you so much. πŸ’š πŸ’š As an optimist, I like to incorporate hope in most of my work.

  2. Wow Mam! I love your writings and this one too is just par excellence. Poignant and beautifully written <3

    1. Thank you so much, Nitika. You’re always so kind and generous in your appreciation. πŸ’š

    1. Thank you so much πŸ’š

  3. Poignant! Beautifully penned! Perfect ending!πŸ’šπŸ’š

    1. Thank you so much πŸ’š

  4. The ending is so good mam.Good to have you back in the game.

    1. Aha, thank you so much for the ‘welcome back’ and the appreciation.

  5. Nostalgia, pain and then hope
    Beautifully penned

    1. Thank you so much, ma’am.

  6. Somehow reminded me of the saying- forgiveness is the fragrance given out from crushed flowers.. The poem looks at betrayal in a poignant manner..beautiful.

    1. Ah, I trust you to get the exact essence of the poem. Thank you so much for your appreciation. It’s much valued.

  7. Often times promises
    Don’t materialize
    Seems to be the lies
    Often stuck in fear of being prosaic.

    Ma’am you really pen it beautiful. A sweet lovely thuth wiping away the lies. Beautiful and positive ending.

    1. Thank you so much, Varsha for your poetic appreciation.

  8. This is so beautifully written ma’am. Tethys risingπŸ’š that’s the best. Since I studied about its gigantic transformation, I loved its comparison. Beautiful.

    1. Thank you so much, Sonali.

  9. Seema ma’am would be glad if you read mine tooπŸ˜ƒ
    #rulfy

    1. Oh of course. I have already promised in my post.

  10. I rise too with the tranquil moon
    Nicely ended on a positive note

  11. How beautifully and artistically you write, ma’am. I am a fan of your poetry. Loved the poem. I am glad she could rise, in the end.

    1. Thank you so much, Moonmoon for your generous appreciation and love.

  12. That was a lovely poem ma’am… Very well expressed πŸ’šπŸ’šπŸ’š

  13. Betrayals leave scars for life. The pain of those scars…so poignantly described. Loved it Seema di.

    1. Thank you so much, Maneet!

  14. Loved your mathematical precision in these lines:
    Very impacting indeed!

    The love we added and multiplied with patience

    You divided and subtracted your share pence by pence.

    1. Thank you for noticing the inclusion of mathematical terms. It’s so heartening when fellow poets appreciate these little details.

  15. Very poignant!! Loved the poem. I totally agree with the other comments.

  16. Your poems reverberated with lost love and the peace in the end. The letters that were never posted, were high on emotions and distraught .The serene end took my heart away!! Awesome πŸ‘πŸ»

    1. Thank you so much for reading the poem and noticing the subtle nuances! Grateful for the generous appreciation.

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