Sometimes a small moment is big enough, and in more ways than one could possibly think of. With a significant chunk of our worlds throbbing in tiny capsules of the ever enticing internet, naturally this has something to do with my virtual existence. A few days back, I received an email from a long lost friend, a bond that was once formed in an online community over our love for a common Urdu poet, Gulzar. The subject of the email just read - 'You love poetry, you had told me once' - and the body contained nothing but yet another forgotten poem - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's The Rainy Day.
Now odd as it might seem, but there's this quirky, serendipitous destiny of mine when every time I am in search of that little something to stir me and can't figure out what it exactly is for the life of me, something like this happens. Someone from the ancient past, long washed away by the tides of time or just obscured by the unanswered ways of life, would make his/her way back into my life. And my day would be made, just like that, smooth and uncreased like a freshly made bed.
Having nothing more to write but much to mule after, I would leave this poignant, heart-tugging poem for you. Since it's raining (it always does, isn't it?!) for more or less everyone, be it the literal or the metaphorical shower, I hope this would be a good, invigorating read.
"Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Rainy Day
Because sometime in the 'mouldering Past', in a little pastoral corner of Virginia, it looked like this after an unexpected midsummer shower.
Now odd as it might seem, but there's this quirky, serendipitous destiny of mine when every time I am in search of that little something to stir me and can't figure out what it exactly is for the life of me, something like this happens. Someone from the ancient past, long washed away by the tides of time or just obscured by the unanswered ways of life, would make his/her way back into my life. And my day would be made, just like that, smooth and uncreased like a freshly made bed.
Having nothing more to write but much to mule after, I would leave this poignant, heart-tugging poem for you. Since it's raining (it always does, isn't it?!) for more or less everyone, be it the literal or the metaphorical shower, I hope this would be a good, invigorating read.
"Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Rainy Day
Because sometime in the 'mouldering Past', in a little pastoral corner of Virginia, it looked like this after an unexpected midsummer shower.
that is a lovely poem :)
ReplyDeletebeautiful post as usual. And I like the new picture of your blog. It is simply awesome.
ReplyDeletewww.rajnishonline.blogspot.com
Thank you, Rajnish. The pic was taken in Bryce Canyon last year; if interested, you can read more about it in this post:
Deletehttp://suman-randomruminations.blogspot.in/2011/09/it-was-first-of-so-many-things-and-some.html
Suman, I have tagged you in my latest post. Do check it out here
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tag, Ash. As I have said in my comment on your post, I'll try my best to answer your questions.
DeleteI'm glad you liked the poem.
I'd forgotten those lines, but may have to cut and paste them for November when it will seem as though the rain will never stop.
ReplyDeleteWe have, in a way, written about the same sort of feeling - of looking for something from the past that finally makes its way into our conscious.
Yes, November and after is a terrible, terrible time for the Pacific Northwesterns. I will be sending abundant sunshine your way when the dreadful season comes.
DeleteYes, this too, is a kind of déjà vu, only yours is more beautiful and dreamlike.
Miserable blighter, but he was right, all the same.
ReplyDeleteExcept that rather a lot of rain is falling in my life at the moment and I'd like a bit of that sunshine which is lurking behind the clouds.
Will it help if I send sunshine wishes from across the tropics? I hope the sun's out real soon, so that we get to see your beautiful pictures of the legendary English countryside.
Deletemast poem . rain yet to start but its raining CM here :)
ReplyDeleteCM?? toro adha katha mu bujhi pareni! Please enunciate, bro! ;-)
DeleteInto each life some rain must fall- Lovely words of Longfellow:)
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting, Rahul!
DeleteI love this poem. It's hopeful : "Behind the clouds is the sun still shining"". Beautiful lines and beautiful post !!
ReplyDeleteYes, you are right - after pulling one into the pits of misery, there's this golden ray of hope in the last few lines. I'm glad you love it.
Delete