IMAGE OF EARTH AND QUILL

Featured Guest Poet Arjun Purkayastha




Nandi Hills Sunset

Standing
On the mountain top
I reach out
For the clouds
Almost touching them
They shy away
Shielding the sun
Protectively from
My admiring gaze
The hidden sun
Infects the blue sky
Its poison slowly spreading
The clouds push the sun
Over the edge
And it starts sinking
Into the valley
Which welcomes it
By cradling it
Between twin peaks
The wind
Sings a lullaby
Which blows around
And hits me
Its warmth envelops me
Its chill grips me
The sky starts preparing
For the night
The earth below seems
Further away
The horizon
Inches itself closer
To me
The message I get
From all of them
Is clear
I close my eyes
And capture the beauty
In my mind
I open them again
And find the sun
Going into slumber
Not wanting to disturb it
I head back
Deep into the plains

June, 1999

Arjun Purkayastha's Questions:

1. Is the poem graphic enough?

2. The title of the poem bothers me. Do you think it should be left as it is or should it be changed to "Sunset"?

3. What feelings do you associate with the poem?

4. Any other comments are most welcome

It seems that Arjun is a very upcoming poet. He has got all the flair, charisma and the colors of the Nandi Hills enticed in a single poem to present a beautiful and life-like graphic version. I definitely do believe that if he gets more experience and is allowed more chances to publish his poems, his name might be comparable with the greatest poets of all times.
Pankaj Anand <pankaj01@hotmail.com>
New Delhi, India - Wed Jun 28 03:45:37 2000

The title is hauntingly memorable. Some of the imagery is strong enough to 'see'. I think you could have soared if you hadn't let the sun go down on you. But, thats just my point of view. Great stuff none the less!
AK
USA - Thu Jun 29 00:35:53 2000
I love the imagery. Not having spent any time in the Nandi Hills, or even knowing where they are, I still get the feeling that there is beauty there. You should leave the title, since this is a specific place with which many people will identify. There are only a few changes that I would make, but on the whole this poem is beautiful and conveys your feelings about the sunset. You might cut out a line or two or a word or two, but that is for you to decide.
Barbara <Lionmother@aol.com>
Mt.Kisco, NY USA - Mon Jul 3 10:05:33 2000
A fine imagery you could paint of the sunset. The title can remain as it is, though it would sound universal if you just say 'SUNSET'.
Rathnashikamani Bijja <rashima@igcar.ernet.in>
Kalpakkam, TN India - Sat Jul 8 02:52:18 2000
hi arjun, pristine. the poem is joyful in its simplicity. and i did like the 'ínfect' bit. don't change anything. i would have liked the message to sink in but then the choice is yours. the infect line lingers long. i am going gaga on that one. all in all it makes for interesting reading. rgds pradeep
pradeep n mané <deepane@vsnl.com>
bombay, m.s. india - Mon Jul 17 09:23:58 2000

Readers: You may wish to contact Arjun Purkayastha privately with your ideas about this poem.