The Bridge of Sighs (Satis Shroff)

A pantoum poem by Satis Shroff:

What hope of answer or redress?

Behind the veil, behind the veil.

(Tennyson)

THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS (Satis Shroff)

In Venice I stood on the Bridge of Sighs,

Thought about the Doge’s palace

And the prison beyond the bridge,

I was imprisoned in my mind.

Thought about the Doge’s palace,

In Venice I stood on the Bridge of Sighs,

I was imprisoned in my mind,

For a life was underway.

It was a far better choice I had made,

I was imprisoned in my mind.

The product of our genes,

For a life was underway.

I was imprisoned in my mind,

Swimming in a small amniotic sea;

For a life was underway,

I had to say adieu to a love.

Swimming in a small amniotic sea,

That was not to be.

I had to say adieu to a love;

Too many verbal battles.

That was not to be,

Malicious verbal daggers drawn,

Why, O why, couldn’t we go asunder,

I had to say adieu to a love.

Malicious verbal daggers drawn,

In Frieden like civilised people,

I had to say adieu to a love,

At peace with each other.

In Venice I stood on the Bridge of Sighs.

(c)satisshroff, 2017