Taming The Shadows

by Dilip Mohapatra (October 2014)

Strangely

your own shadows

are strangers to you

and mostly disloyal.

They have an uncanny way

to escape you

and wax and wane

as the sun

crosses your meridian

and dips down the horizon

to rise once again.

 

It’s time you cut

them down to their

proper size

and keep them

on their knees

under your heels

and make them bow

to your wishes.

 

But only if you can

hold the sun captive

and make it rise

from the root

of your spine

and guide it

to straddle

an inverted rainbow

to finally reach the top

of your head

to the halo of your crown

only through

and within you.

 

__________________________

 

Dilip Mohapatra, a Navy Veteran started writing poems in the seventies and his recent poems have appeared in various literary journals like Muse India, Helix Magazine, Chiaroscuro Magazine, BlazeVOX, etc. His poems have also found place in the World Poetry Yearbook 2013. His latest collection of poems titled A Pinch of Sun & other poems published by Authorspress India, is currently on stands. He did his Masters in Physics at Ravenshaw College, Cuttack. Post Navy, he held senior leadership positions with the Tata and Suzlon groups of companies. Currently he is the Chief Mentor and Strategic Advisor to KIIT University, Bhubaneswar. He lives with his wife in Pune.

 

 

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