તથાપિ/–

–

સુરેશ જોષી

ચિ. પ્રણવ તથા સૌ. સુરભિને

Cured from the craving to know all, my mind
Shall not henceforth be closed to any pain,
And what is portioned out to all mankind,
I shall enjoy in my own heart, contain
Within my spirit summit and abyss,
Pile on my breast their agony and bliss,
Let my own self grow into theirs, unfettered,
Till as they are, at last I, too, am shattered.
– Goethe

Granted : one poet’s experience
With manual metaphysics
doesn’t make a poetics;
but I’ve pared my nails to the quick
to temper my craft
and these shabby prescriptions
I learned for myself, at first hand :
If you find them uncouth
for a poet’s vocation,
I agree – no apologies needed !
I smile toward the future
and I am gone before you can give me your reasons.
– Pablo Neruda