Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Ashok Vajpeyi

AFTER THE END II

After the end
there will be nothing
no turning back
no change of form
no beginning either.
 
No more
the wondrous glow of the body
the dark gloom of the soul
nor
the warm memories of love.
 
No weak tea
with just a little milk
no peeving
at the mismatch
of buttons and buttonholes.
 
There will be
no tree of wisdom
no stillness of the lake
no scheming victoriousness
no blue feathers falling quietly
in jungles and barren lands.
 
There will be no lacklustre gods
no flag-waving goons.
After the end
there will be nothing for us –
only for those
for whom there will be no end.
 
After the end
will only be
the end
for us.

AFTER THE END II

Close

AFTER THE END II

After the end
there will be nothing
no turning back
no change of form
no beginning either.
 
No more
the wondrous glow of the body
the dark gloom of the soul
nor
the warm memories of love.
 
No weak tea
with just a little milk
no peeving
at the mismatch
of buttons and buttonholes.
 
There will be
no tree of wisdom
no stillness of the lake
no scheming victoriousness
no blue feathers falling quietly
in jungles and barren lands.
 
There will be no lacklustre gods
no flag-waving goons.
After the end
there will be nothing for us –
only for those
for whom there will be no end.
 
After the end
will only be
the end
for us.

AFTER THE END II

After the end
there will be nothing
no turning back
no change of form
no beginning either.
 
No more
the wondrous glow of the body
the dark gloom of the soul
nor
the warm memories of love.
 
No weak tea
with just a little milk
no peeving
at the mismatch
of buttons and buttonholes.
 
There will be
no tree of wisdom
no stillness of the lake
no scheming victoriousness
no blue feathers falling quietly
in jungles and barren lands.
 
There will be no lacklustre gods
no flag-waving goons.
After the end
there will be nothing for us –
only for those
for whom there will be no end.
 
After the end
will only be
the end
for us.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère