In that lonely corner of this city, I find my footsteps.
And there the road narrows down.
I walked on those green meadows.
Where hidden waters were slept.
Why does this city echo within me?
A voice so clear, so ringing sweet inside.
I lived here for sure, and the city lived within me.
That red brick house in now tailored in silence
And the mango tree creates a patchwork of moments.
I smell those green mangos.
I love those splendid tropical sunsets.
The red verandah carries dreams and doubts
I touch the periwinkles on the pot.
The shadows lengthen on the terrace
I see lights cluster like a swarm of wisps
And the insects buzz in the garden.
And through the silence of the night
And through the quiet of the distant mountains
I hear the rhapsody of the night
come drifting over me again and gain.
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Gopal Lahiri
@gopallahiri
Picture Nick Victor
Gopal Lahiri is a bilingual poet, critic, editor, writer and translator with 32 books published, including eight solo/jointly edited books. His poetry and prose are published across more than one hundred journals and anthologies globally His poems are translated in 18 languages and published in 19 countries. He has been nominated for Pushcart Prize for poetry in 2021and Best of the Net in 2025. His ‘Selected Poems’ was published recently.
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