Blank Wall

There is no sound, fronds whisper in silence,
the images sink and disappear in unexplained words,
nothing or everything prepares for the moan.

Morning embraces white, evening embalms black,
mute as they lay bare, invite footprints on the corridor,
all they need is to say on their own blank verses.

It’s again the quiet before the windy, stormy night,
then clouds evanesce and lights pour inside,
the blank wall records the endless questions.

Let me read the hidden script, let me rest there,
count the exile years in the layers of red bricks,
dreams are alone, they multiply, they multiply.

A palm is pressed, the little secret turns into obsession,
taken to swirling of emotions, well-worn grooves,
days canoe on anecdotes, nights spread ashes on memories.

Gopal Lahiri is a bilingual poet, critic, editor, writer and translator with 29 books published, including eight solo/jointly edited books. His poetry and prose are published across more than seventy journals and anthologies globally. His poems are translated in 16 languages. He has been nominated for Pushcart Prize for poetry in 2021. He has received Setu Excellence Award, Pittsburgh, US, in poetry. He is the first recipient of. Jayanta Mahapatra National Award for Literature, 2024. Read other articles by Gopal.