Lily Swarn presents two poems

If You Were

If you  were the sprawling mango tree 
Abuzz with the Twitter of nesting birds 
I would be the Koel calling out to you 
Plaintive haunting pleas 
Soaked in monsoon mush 

If you were the green frothy ocean 
Bursting its shores with titanic breakers 
I would be the fish darting in and out 
Of the luminous sea weeds 
Wet with unshed tears 

If you were the dense foliaged jungle 
With twisted creepers and gnarled trunks 
I would be the doe eyed gazelle skipping on lanky legs 
Pining for the musk you harboured

Hope is the Thing with Feathers

Cuddly, warm, protective feathers 
Cocooning, swaddling , comforting 
I need their soft downy protection 
To ensheath my blunting  blades 

Feathers of hope, like my Jaipuri razaai 
My mother’s heirloom shahtoosh 
The baggy cashmere sweater from Dalhousie days 
And my daughter’s one eyed teddy bear

Hope is the wings of 
That elusive white eagle 
Which appear out of the dense thickets of grief 
Soaring to zeniths of unchartered blues 
Carrying me on their powerful spans
 
Hope is the promise of an unopened bud 
Spreading its perfume before it’s youth 
Hope is the last bite that you keep for him 
Wishing that he will come back soon 

Lily Swarn, our WE Diva of the World and WE Green Heart Awardee 2022, is a multilingual poet, author, columnist, gold medalist, university colour holder, radio show host and Peace Ambassador, writing in different genres. A Trellis of Ecstasy, has received praise as a veritable delight by The Journal of Commonwealth literature in London. The Gypsy Trail, Lilies of the Valley, have been highly appreciated . History on My Plate got rave reviews. She has won over fifty international and national awards like Reuel International Prize for Poetry, Global Icon of Peace, Sahitya Rattan, Gujarat Sahitya Akademi Award, Master of Creative Impulse, Sarojini Naidu Award,Woman of Substance, Kairat Duissenov medal for poetic excellence, Order of Shakespeare Medal among others. Lily’s poetry has been translated into sixteen European and Asian languages and her Urdu ghazals have been set to music. She was recently declared finalist for Global Culture Champion Award by UK’s She Inspires Awards.