The Friday Poem: evening

“evening” by mamta madhaven

shades of gray
twirl down
to unforeseen depths
as i grasp at
the sprinkles of fading colors

above,
a lone boatman
leaves unscripted trails,
and water drips from his oars
as he glides
slowly

a solitary seagull circles
as raindrops fall softly
to disturb the silence
of the kayal

then from nowhere a train
speeds down the bridge,
leaving a trail of noise
and smoke in the crisp blue skies

cutting the peace
before disappearing
into the thicket.   

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Now that you’ve read the poem, here is a commentary by Benicia Patch Poetry Maestro Jeff Burkhart:

Today’s Friday poem is from a colleague whom I have never met in person, Mamta Madhaven. This is the third poem of hers I have featured in this column. In review, Mamta is a very talented young woman that has devoted her life to helping impoverished children and writing poetry. She lives on a rubber plantation in Kerala, India.   

The featured poem epitomizes the way Mamta goes about the business of writing. “evening” is about a place in time. The fact that Mamta has used all lower case letters underscores this fact. We are all small and momentary compared to the passage of time. She takes us to the “kayal”, which is Indian for “lake”. I assume she refers to Vembanad Kayal, the longest lake in India. It is situated in Kerala, her home. A vast network of lagoons and canals, are all connected to the lake, forming the veins and arteries that get their life from the heart of the kayal. The cool  waters give rise to life, both below and above. People are cruising and living on the Kettuvallam (thatched roofed house boats), both rustic and modern. She is watching the lake and the people in and around it as they paddle, swim and fish. Time floats along as they live until they die, making way for yet another generation, as they always have and always will.  

I liken Ms. Madhaven’s work to Hemingway because she uses plain language to create strong images. She takes you right there to that exact moment in time. To the kayal.

Until next week,

Jeff Burkhart

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