String of Life Tensed When Too Far

Why did that lamp lose its light? Your thoughts taking fancy flight, I kept it burning all night…. Why should a fresh flower die? Pressed close to my bosom nigh, Bare could it breathe, nor yet sigh…. What made such a river dead? Selfish need, growing greed led Men to build bunds on its bed.… What snapped the string of sitar? Tuning tight to my tune’s par, I tensed it far oh too far…. The extreme ends oh of life, Yon at excess dwells all strife, Life’s to walk on edge of knife. __________________________________ Musings |12.08.2021| Poet’s Note: Based on lyricist Gulzar’s Hindi version, Which, I understand was inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s Bengali poem. Life sometimes poses very delicate questions. It cries out for freedom and fresh air, which often we fail to let it. We constrict it, stretch it too much. Naturally, the string of life snaps, and its delicate melodious tune gets lost.