I am the femto-boss of Zimmerland

And Zimmermights are strident to out-dare

The swift of foot. The harsh enormity

Of man’s evil exists not here, nor day,

Nor night with dishonoured flames, lost in time.

Because heaven is good, zimmeryouth braves

The skinniness inherited from “no”

Of the past. In my inner room I work

Miracles in wee details of the hour

Which, in hope’s suddenness springing to life,

Promptly jumps out from an old tireless clock.

Habits die hard, but unapologetic,

And sure-fire, is the zimmerwill, and not

Until this moment was anyone aware

Of the great resourceful spirit. Beyond

The hoarding at the city’s busy edge,

In rainbow-red, urged by god-haste, raced steeds

Of my desires. Warm-hearted and strong-limbed,

Swift-maned in my moods, neighing like thrilled songs,

They were already one with wind and sky.

Nor frail mortality would halt their speed,

And what it bore was agelessness of truth,—

In the ways of the world too. Orange zest

That takes it everywhere defeats death.

I’d known fate as my friend when destiny

By chance introduced me to living trust.

She was wearing an augural necklace

Of corals brought from seas of zimmergleams

And, from the surprise of birds, I discerned

That time has come the new race to begin:

O in femto-measures the soul of god

Growing in enchantment of hills and trees,

Of water and air, calm, quintessential!

Then, in speed and briskness of a winging

Height’s eagle swooped down the azure’s rapture

To win the zimmersoul with beauty’s joy.

RY Deshpande

26 May 2004

Courtesy Google Images