Mehtab Bagh (Moonlight Garden)

Gold cherry

By marandina

Mon, 08 Feb 2021
  • 4484 reads
23 comments
 

We met on the mezzanine,

lobby of splendour and gold,

our bearded, mystic Hindu guide,

spirited tourists into seats.

 

Passed meandering, sacred cows,

shuttered shanties on streets,

we gazed through glass, pre-dawn,

hazy rays skimming the horizon.

 

It was in the Mehtab Bagh,

moonlight garden of a fallen Shah,

where we strolled amongst

ornate fountains, narcissus and fruit trees.

 

Across the divinity of mother Yamuna,

we gazed its ivory tomb,

crenelated walls and minarets,

Mughal mausoleum to beloved Mumtaz.

 

And as an Indian Sun

crested its morning sky,

hearts and souls were left

amid white plaster walkways.

 

*Image is my own

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous Poems
Travel

Comments

Submitted by onemorething on

Lovely, Paul. Really evocative. (BTW - is 'gazed an ivory tomb' - could just be me.)

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks Rachel. I've changed that line to "its" if that scans better. The poem is based on a visit to the Taj Mahal to view it from the Moonlight Garden. We got there after sunrise thanks to a coupe of tardy tourists so I have often inagined what it would have been like if we had got there on time.

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Ah well, you conjure it up very well. (And not to labour my point like a pedant...I should have explained myself better, I wondered if it should be gazed at, or gazed upon, rather than just gazed - but, as I said, could just be me!)

 

Submitted by marandina on

Gotcha. I did deliberate over "gazed" versus "gazed at". Just using gazed seemed to scan better but I'll leave it with "its" now as it seems to give that line more depth. Thanks again, Rachel and thanks for reading it. Paul

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for the cherries, ABC. Much appreciated. Paul :)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi paul, you paint with words such a mystical scene that draws the reader in straight away. I love how you capture the essence of this place. Truely stunning.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thank you so much, Jenny. That's high praise coming such a fine poet as you are. It's easy to get emotional with anything relating to that holiday in India which feeds into words, I guess. I will go back, one day, and finally make it onto my abandoned tour of Kerala. It really is an amazing country. Paul

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

A wonderful experience expertly related. An enjoyable read, Paul.

Best wishes, Luigi.

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for the read and generous comment, Luigi. Much appreciated. Paul

 

Submitted by lenchenelf on

Evocative and a delight to read.

best

L x

 

Submitted by marandina on

Hi Lena. Thanks for that lovely comment. Genuinely appreciated. Paul :)

 

Submitted by celticman on

hearts and souls carried like old sums into this next line- poetry. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Cheers CM Welcome back!

 

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

I desperately want to go back to India now and spend a couple of months exploring again. Beautiful poem. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

You should do it, Mark. I remember you saying that you have celebrity status from your last visit! Thanks for reading. Paul :)

 

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

This evocative take on a trip to view the Taj Mahal is our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day. Please do like and share! 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Flattered and thank you, so much Mark. You guys are working late tonight. I should get yourselves a beer! Thanks again. Paul

 

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

Hence me forgetting to gild the cherry! Sorry. Lovely poem. Sparked a lot of memories for me too and I like it when something I read does that. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

No worries at all, Mark. I admire your commitment for working so late on the site. You guys do an amazing job behind the scenes to keep ABC running. Thanks again. Paul

 

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on

Delightful layers of meaning, and an inspiration for anyone to visit and inhale the excitement of such a sacred area. A wonderful poem.

Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by marandina on

Thank you for the compliment, Richard. Much appreciated. Paul

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Paul

Again such a lovely choice of words and phrases.  One can easily picture the scenes you describe. 

Jean Day

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, Jean. Much appreciated. Paul