WINNING POEMS: poetry book

SILENT VOICES: award winner

SILENT VOICES: award winner
[Poem describing the feelings of an old man in the home for the aged.]


As I lie down and sleep on
This vast and too noisy world,
I wake to the one silent,
Full of voices, though unheard:

Voices from the olden days,
When on a childish errand,
Spotting a butterfly, I
Called aloud to my dear friend;

Voices from the soccer field,
Where as captain of my team,
I shouted to my buddies,
Eyes shining in wildest gleam;

Voices, no, rather whispers,
A giggle and then a sob,
As I snuggled up with my
Only love, my true heart-throb;

Voices raging in the house,
When children do fight and play;
Shrill cry of my lovely wife,
To calm the domestic fray.

Voices of the boss at work,
Creating too much of scenes
Over and above the din
Of the factory machines;

Voices of doctors taking
Out the cataract, prostate
As I lay semiconscious
Lamenting my painful fate.

I am in the old age home,
Where I am but all alone.
All these silent voices fill
My dreams and then make me groan.

• Written in abcb 7-7-7-7 format

' Third place in "My Weekly Contest~Poetry's Prism" contest, "Invalid Item" , Round 100, April 2007
' Showcased in Drama Newsletter, 16 February 2011
' Initially written as static item 706503, deleted on 21 May 2011 and posted as entry in the
“WINNING POEMS: poetry book”, ""WINNING POEMS: poetry book"  " .


M C Gupta
15 June 2003