On the ninth of April, I had a recording of my poems on All India Radio; as I drove down to Delhi, on the cool Sunday morning, I observed how landscape along the highway changed slowly...


Golden Wheat Fields vs Concrete Jungle

Golden wheat stands ripe in the fields
For miles and miles together along the heath
Sun kissed crops ready to reap
Girded-up in neat bundled sheaves.

Farmers stand- sickles in hands-
Hair streaked with yellow hay strands
A cloud of golden dust of wheat-husk
Rendering the atmosphere hazy, with musk-
fragrance filling the morning air...

Spring has so many hues, as I drive
Down the highway smooth that thrives
With yellow, pink and blue hollyhocks
A feast to the eyes in neatly laid blocks...

Dew-laden fresh air pristine and pure
The poetic soul responds to its allure...

Then the landscape begins to change
Fields become dotted with cottages
First the town houses appear in a range
Then are soon replaced by concrete jungle
Of flats and multi-storied jumble

And horizon, instead of trees in bloom,
Is dotted with sky-scrapers of gloom
Garish advertisements, hoardings and flags
Replace the flowers; and polyethylene
Competes with the grass, lush and green...

Soothing cool is replaced by the chilling-air
'Civilization' at the altar of Nature flares...


Author: Zoya Zaidi
Aligarh (UP), India
Copyright ©: Zoya Zaidi





Poetry by Zoya Zaidi
Read 1048 times
Written on 2007-05-17 at 16:13

dott Save as a bookmark (requires login)
dott Write a comment (requires login)
dott Send as email (requires login)
dott Print text


Pamela A Lamppa
Excellent piece. Superb use of language and visual images. Wonderful work my friend. I enjoyed this a great deal. ~Pamela
2007-05-19


uma
wow...beautiful yet painful truth...bookmarked.
2007-05-18


Christian Lanciai The PoetBay support member heart!
How dreadfully true!
2007-05-17


Kathy Lockhart
Zoya your talent is superb! This is bookmarked.
2007-05-17


Peter Humphreys
We seem to be paving our own concrete way to self-destruction in the name of 'development', yet still there are the open fields to wander if only we can leave them safe for our children. Thank you, Zoya. This is a fine poem.
2007-05-17


penfold18
wonderful Zoya, you certainly have a way of bringing the best out of natural beauty creating such lovely images.
2007-05-17


Tsewang Dorjee9
Hello Zoya

Beautiful poem blends with the aroma of landscape.
2007-05-17