From 22 to 82

Gopal Guttal retired as a High Court Justice in 1994 at the age of 62. After that he practiced law as a consultant/arbitrator for 12 years, and then took to writing poetry as a pastime. The journey along "the road not taken", that is to say, from the homeland of the intellectual yet prosaic land of law into the creative, lyrical rhyming and limitless sky of poetry has been as thrilling as it has been rewarding. He has to his credit a collection of poems Twilight Melodies. He lives in Mumbai with his wife, and continues to write poetry.

The Spring of Joy

She was seventeen
and was a teen
I was two and two
happy and thrilled too.

She stepped in to win
her dainty steps in tune
rhythmic like a song sweet
a poet's delight.

The bond of bonds
for lives seven
tied in heaven in fifty five
united to last till we die.

The struggles and fetters
endured with smiles and tears
through trying years
crowned with HIS grace.

The tree grew wide and tall
two plus twelve in all
I watch in awe and relish
the fullness of bliss.

The foliage and flowers
of my garden gorgeous
dance in endless pleasures
all fourteen in chorus.

The gloom of evening clouds
no longer awes
but fades in the flood of joys
of life's splendours.

Poet's commentary: "Spring of Joy" is a celebration of love, life and fulfillment. Wedded at 22 to a bride of 17, the poet relives the rhythmic heartbeats that pumped energy into the mundane life of work, struggles and success leading finally to fulfillment. The foliage and flowers of life's tree dance and flutter defying the gloom of age.

Sixty - Not Out

United for years sixty
yet green as twenty
ready again to spring
into the ring.

We lived dreams of
moon and stars
hand in hand
on time's sand.

Played with toys
cried over broken toys
walked endless hours
through stinging winters.

Time rolled on
into glorious morn
spring flowered
scattering laughter.

Roses Orchids Asters
danced and scattered
on Nebraskan plains
and California hills.

Intoxicating fragrance
of August flowers
linger in silent wonder
at our sixty treasures.

Home of ourness
now a nothingness
abyss of emptiness
overflows with fulfillment.

Plaintive tunes
from forlorn memories
flow into songs
to greet new dawns.

The bygone sixties
ring in golden days
filling melodies
into my silent lyrics.

Poet's commentary: "Sixty Not Out" - a journey into sixty years and continuing journey of the poet's wedded life. It echoes melodies of sixty youthful years treasured in memory. Now perched in California and Nebraska, the little birds look back at the poet's and their home - empty, yet overflowing with joy of fulfillment.

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© Gopal Guttal 2016

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