Creation and Criticism

Dr O. P. Arora, a well-known poet, novelist and short story writer, has published five volumes of his poems, The Creeping Shadows, Embers in the Ashes, The Edge of the Cliff, Pebbles on the Shore and Whispers in the Wilderness and three novels, A Bite of Paradise, The Silken Traps and Beyond the Mists. He has to his credit two books in Hindi too—one, a novel, and the other, a collection of short stories. He has an excellent academic record and holds a Doctorate in English Literature from Panjab University, Chandigarh. He has taught in Delhi University for nearly four decades. He resides at A-2/B, 183A, Ekta Apartments, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi- 110063; and can also be contacted through email: arora.omp@gmail.com.

1. Like A Man

Just a spark

from the Eternal Flame

enough to inflame

the consciousness of man

with Love

Hope

Spiritual strength…

Even if flickering

it would save his frail boat

inspire him to struggle

keep it afloat

sure, won’t drown, though wobble…

The bank may be elusive

darkness may be all pervasive

he would certainly try

like a man he would fly.

2. Man Never Learns

1918

2020

Message is clear—

Man never learns

After every hundred years

Nature, bountiful and blissful

fed up with man’s senseless exploits

picks up the broom

cleans up the lanes

scavenges the mental garbage

smashes his pretentious hypes

deflates his egotistical hyperboles

dresses him down with chains

Reminds man, once again

he is not the invincible Lord

he is only a tenant here

like every other creature

must respect the rules to enjoy the benediction

or else, Nature’s mirror would reflect his position—

He is nothing, only a shadow in transition.

3. Nowhere

What road?
This or that
do you reach anywhere?
Here, there, anywhere
how does it matter?
It’s all, nowhere.
What destination?
Every destination
sickens you soon
urges you to a new destination

Realization dawns
sooner or later
all restlessness, meaningless
all struggle, futile
all collection, possession, acquisition
a big burden…
Everything ends up
in stupefaction, depression…

Life
or lifelessness
gradually drives you
inch by inch
to the final destination.

4. Possession is Dispossession

So intense

senseless insistence

passionate pretence

maniac’s persistence

Facebook chats

No, not enough

she said

she can’t live by fads

she would have the thrill—

my fingers in hers

When I went to the beach

my feet couldn’t reach

I knew I would lose her

she would certainly be short of my dream

I had already lost

all that I had ever called mine

this meet would make her naked

take away all the dreamy shine

There she was, the gorgeous

the darling of my dreams

her eyes twinkling with twining

counting the days of her pining

Drank her beauty before I withdrew

would message her had slipped on the dew.

5. O God, You Too

Tomorrow!
What tomorrow!
I have waited
woefully waited
for the elusive tomorrow

No, it never dawned
for the mirage
my heart stupidly pawned
O God
You too
like everybody else!

I know the day
I lied to you
Had I not
you should have gone down the drain
attained Moksha embracing the fastest train
not made Hope your fickle friend
nor helped the miserable millions
nor shaped your miraculous medallions

I am proud of you

But me
You duped me
played your treacherous tricks with me
flashing all those rainbow hopes
insufferable suffering, waiting for the new robes

Yes, that is right
But suffering!
Who is not suffering?
A part of human evolution
this suffering…
One who lives for others
lives for my measures
endures, endears, elevates others
even in pain, ecstasy shares

A bag full of agony
eternal frustration
that too
through deception

No other way
Man doesn’t like the truth, so sad
he would do his mission, go mad
living in false hopes
running maniacally even when he raves
always.