Evocative sketches in word-images, of Manipur, by Gopal, exclusively for Different Truths.

1.

Moirang, INA and victory flag post —
before you go further away,
dotted around are the grass rings,
boats lie awake on the Loktak lake.

2.

Flesh shines on the fishing net
waterbirds’ tweet to the last syllable,
the day tumbles down against the bleak sky,
the mist becomes central in Sandra hillock.

3.

Time slips away from us in Kangla Fort
moments drifts into unnerving thoughts
of war in the erstwhile Asiatic Kingdom
lies and facts are abundant.

4.

Evening light still spilling nectar
on the jewelled land of Manipur,
the apology breaks over,
mother’s hands, warmth and Ima market —
all glories turn into history and heritage.

5.

my eyes gaze across the hill slope
the trees grow from the earth
forest floats, the ever-shy Sangai deer strolls.

6.

Gobindji temple shines in Raas Leela
congregation hall fills with prayers
our existence blurs in the quietude.
what if all this is not visible?

Photo from the Internet

Feture Piture : en.wikipedia.org

Gopal Lahiri

Gopal Lahiri is a bilingual poet, critic, editor, and translator with 33 books, including eight edited volumes. Anthologised in over 150 journals and anthologies worldwide and translated into 18 languages across 17 countries, he has received the Setu Excellence Award, a Pushcart Prize nomination, a Best of the Net nomination, the First Jayanta Mahapatra National Award, and First Prize at the 43rd World Congress of Poets. His Selected Poems was published by Classix, New Delhi.