Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Destination Life


I awoke to the morning light
with hope and progress in my sight
In life, I was told to believe
with all the strength that I could conceive

The first many steps that I decided to take
came with a lot of apprehension to make
even the very best to pause many a rung
before the soiled clothes were hung

Experience maketh a man they said
and whoever said so meant what he said
for no man ever went a long way ahead
without the much needed toil and stead

Wanderous roads and uneven bends
cast many dark shadows and lost heads
Victory was not by any means an option
I had to seize life with all conviction

Many nights and many days came to pass
with no results but all toil, alas
Yet neither the mind nor the heart
lost to tire in the journey so fraught

The journey will amble as the days come
even to make a rock more and more supple
It is for eternity in my hands, Oh Supreme
for it is You who made me to endure what I need be

Footnotes:

Image: Face detail of God, Creation of the Sun and Moon by Michelangelo
Courtesy: Wikipedia

Inspired by The Main Theme - The Last Samurai by Hans Zimmer

25 comments:

  1. reminds of my favourite poem 'If' by Rudyard Kipling...
    it goes like this..

    If you can keep your head when all about you

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

    If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

    But make allowance for their doubting too,

    If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

    Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

    And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

    If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,

    If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;

    If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same;

    If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

    Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

    And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

    If you can make one heap of all your winnings

    And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

    And lose, and start again at your beginnings

    And never breath a word about your loss;

    If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

    To serve your turn long after they are gone,

    And so hold on when there is nothing in you

    Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

    If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

    Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,

    If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

    If all men count with you, but none too much,

    If you can fill the unforgiving minute

    With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

    Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

    And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

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  2. Walking that path ,feeling his hand in mine makes it much easier...

    On a totally different subject: Have you seen the movie
    'Slum dog millionaire" ? I would like to see what you think.
    Have a good day.

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  3. Good poem, Rak

    Life is the journey,
    destination of which is death...

    enjoy every bit of the journey, don't apprehend...

    Those who have been hurt may pour out bitter words. Not justifying, but a natural thing to do...& its very hard to hold within...Yet, they don't deprive themselves of their pleasures...Atleast I don't do..

    Enjoy the journey of Life, dear...

    "It is good to have an end to journey toward;
    but it is the journey that matters,
    in the end. "

    --Ursula Le Guin

    love,
    devika

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  4. awesome poetry rakesh..
    as someone said above it reminded me a lot of some old poetry i read in school...dont quite remmeber which one it is..but the feeling it gave was same

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  5. Referring to Marie-Noyale's question, I'm also curious to know an Indian view on the Millionaire film!

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  6. Did ya know Hans Zimmer write the theme to Pirates of the Carribean?
    Good stuff this guy!
    Very Moving man, you gotta write more!

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  7. Rak, my dear

    where are you?
    i thought you would come rushing to my Soc-Pol blog :)

    wishes,
    devika

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  8. truely buddy HOpe can do wonders to one ..only we need to work in that direction

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  9. too good poem rakesh, i agree with devika!

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  10. Shooting Star

    The poem IF by Rudyard Kipling is a masterpiece!
    Thanks for quoting it here and also likening mine to it!
    Greatly appreciate it!

    Regards

    Rakesh

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  11. Marie

    Indeed! Walking that path ,feeling his hand in mine makes it much easier!
    And, like I said, Slumdog Millionaire is a wonderfully made movie! It is a must watch and I hope it gets some much deserved academy awards!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  12. Satheesh

    Thanks very much! Hope you are doing well! Missing your posts!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  13. Keshi

    Thanks very much! Appreciate it!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  14. Devika Chechi

    Thanks very much for your motivating comments. Appreciate it!

    Thanks also for Ursula Le Guin's words!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  15. Praveen

    Thanks very much for your appreciative comments!
    I'm glad these lines evoked school time memories!

    Happy to hear!

    Cheers

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  16. Peter

    Yes, lumdog Millionaire is a wonderfully made movie! It is a must watch and I hope it gets some much deserved academy awards!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  17. Vivek

    Thats news to me about Zimmer and the Pirates of the Carribean

    Thanks very much for your appreciative comments!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  18. Jay

    Thanks very much! Hope you are doing well!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  19. Sashu

    Thanks very much! Greatly appreciate your comments!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  20. Rakesh

    Indeed, hope is the only thing that can fuel a man towards what he wants to achieve! Along with passion and hard work, of course!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  21. Jeevan

    Thanks very much! Greatly appreciate your comments!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

    ReplyDelete