Poem from Winning Poetry Book of The LIT Fest 2021

IF MAN LIVED AS LONG AS A MAYFLY

 

Channelled down into the struggling muss 

Man; the name he went by

To the special someone he did implore 

Hoping he’d hear his battle cry

A solution to analyse he did provide 

And swapped his life with that of a mayfly

 

He had been cloyed with excess joy

He’d surfeited the effects of the pie 

Now all his nimieties had jumbled up 

The chagrin of which he needed to allay 

No outcome resulted but one only 

And he just lived as long as a mayfly

 

No riddles, no remark, absolutely stark 

Every task to burnish or at least try

To scour and see for himself

What he inside-and others outside-did belie 

But then he wouldn’t be able to continue 

And yet he complied to swap with a mayfly

 

He kept what was his, his very own

No meddling was done with his abundant supply

Then he wondered what next; did not budge 

He wondered how, when and why?

He hoped to get his answers soon

Cause he’d only live as long as a mayfly

 

In this course of a soul day, he learnt and felt galore

All before he’d die

Through that he quote and that I wrote

Nothing that he didn’t imply

And mighty well he laid out his life 

That, which was no longer than a mayfly

 

First he jumped and felt the urge

For the time that he couldn’t buy

So exorbitant were his roots

He couldn’t collect them all to bid good-bye

Although they weren’t his priority yet 

He could fit them in, in his time as a mayfly

 

Then he counted his time again, Gainsay 

Pulling back his own accord, gone too high 

He’d noticed before, his indolence that did dawdle

Turning to his designs, now gone awry 

Which were all he had, too late to relish or fathom

Which he did till he lived, as long as a mayfly

 

All the while he’d forgotten to love

“Indulgence-of which I’d fallen shy”

All the while he had screamed without delight 

But with vexation about an invariable vie 

He could glide in this glee for eternity 

But he had time left, as long as a mayfly

 

When you gain what they wanted, you also gain what they didn’t 

The things he called proudly ‘my’

What you have isn’t enough, your coffer isn’t made to be full

It was never the limit, you realise when you reach the sky 

Hang yourself to the pain, he thankfully didn’t have to do it 

And so wouldn’t they, if they too lived as long as a mayfly

 

You’re here for them, they’re here for you

But nobody’s present to form an ally

Bigger than the other, who’s a part of something bigger 

But none bigger than the ultimate lie

Confusion cleared and his part revealed,

No smaller Than himself and no bigger than his life, as long as a mayfly

 

He had the eagerness contained within, pushing along

Though the demarcations blurred his eye

But there’s a respect in every pause

An answer present that he needed to pry 

And although his tomb was closing on him

His avidity was much larger than his life as a mayfly

 

As he advanced, he was presented with choices

Both of which to his preference were nigh

Play of fortune, only one would be right

So he chose his one, and for the other he’d cry

Now he’ll carry one in his arm and the other in his heart 

And the creator sly, shall pester him all his life, as long as a mayfly

 

Then there was wavering trust as the time flew 

The face of each fellow, if it were actually that guy

If they’d be his aide for a better hike to his final mark

And if their guide, to his life, he could apply

But this was the chance biggest of all and it’s only key 

Was to be that gild to another for life, as long as a mayfly

 

What he deserved and what deserving meant

Nearing the end he came to this question with a sigh

It was his perception of himself and impression on others 

Whether his display turned his mouth and mind wry

If not, there was no admission of woe

And fulfilled was his life as long as a mayfly

 

And was the true emotion- being happy? 

Between right and wrong was there a vie 

Every feeling, he learned, played its part 

Every decision he took was a fine try 

Every wrong was right, finally, he couldn’t deny 

No life was larger than his life, as long as a mayfly

 

He departed with answers finally displayed

No man as clever or as dumb as this spy

Who sought to obtain an insight with which his only gain 

Was content, which helped him happily die

And the life for which he had undertaken this rue 

He gave up easily to live as long as a mayfly

 

Meanwhile, the mayfly with whom he’d been swapped 

Under the burden did he lie

Of doing justice to the responsibility of a life so long

His expectations were as smooth as his dread was dry 

To be as righteous and true as need implied

And wished to live just as long as a mayfly