The Last Stanza
Thread
Walking through the dark night,
my friend and me lost our ways—
And, fell into a deep dry well.
Groping through the darkness,
our hands came across
huge balls of thread.
Our fingers
vigorously, tirelessly
moved through the thread
throughout the night.
When the darkness
that seemed like an eon,
came to an end
and the first morning rays
plunged into the old dirty well,
I saw, to my utter dismay:
I had weaved a net
out of the thread
and entangled myself
leaving no chances of being rescued—
My friend had weaved a rope
out of the thread
and had climbed
out of the well.
Prakash Subedi
Prakash Subedi has been writing poems since his school days. He is is affiliated with the Aarohan Gurukul Theatre and the Society of Nepali Writers in English (NWEN) and currently teaches at the Dillibazaar Kanya Campus. His recent book Stars and Fireflies has received very encouraging responses. To read his interview for V.E.N.T! Magazine, click here.
( Nov 12th 2009, 10:53 PM ) says:
Haha! I agree with Ranju. For a moment though, I thought that the net must have saved the persona's life because he got entangled. I guess it could work either way. It makes sense to act impulsively and spontaneously and plunge into greater risks than to be rational and goal oriented. I also imagine that the net must have looked far more beautiful than the rope.
Mr. Subedi, you have a way of weaving nets out of your words. So simple they appear, but they contain highly profound and complex truths. And I must say it is a pleasure to get entangled in them. I hope to read more of your mind boggling, thought provoking poems on VENT! Magazine.
( Nov 13th 2009, 05:58 AM ) says:
hello mr. prakash,
your language
and your concept
are both really impressive! :)
Good luck with your poetry,
I hope to read more
( Nov 14th 2009, 06:49 PM ) says:
I dont think the friend is an a**hole...( as Ranju and Shreya believe)... if he is, then we all of us are a**holes! Though we may call each other friends, life ultimately is our personal battle that we have to fight alone, and we cant blame anyone for our condition!
Nice reading! Mridul
( Nov 14th 2009, 10:01 PM ) says:
Mridul, yes, life is about the survival of the fittest but i disagree with you that that the friend is right in leaving the other friend behind. I sure hope that at least the friend who got out did that so he/she could get help for the other friend left behind. Besides, I think the poem is not really about who got out anyway. I think it's about how attitude of a person can change the outcome. But in the process, I strongly believe that it's the responsibility of the more able to help the less able. Isn't that what life is all about anyway?
( Nov 15th 2009, 12:34 AM ) says:
If you pay attention to the poetic voice, you will notice how there's a tinge of celebration at the end. I don't think the tangled up poet is as upset about his own defeat as he is delighted by his friend's success. The poem, for me, ends on a high note. It is, after all, a dark night. And a dark night has magic woven all around it. For all we know, there is probably just a single person who fell into that well. And what the poem talks about are possibilities. We all make mistakes, we all have our good days. We're flawed sometimes, sometimes stupid, and the very next moment, intelligent like never before. It makes much sense to me to see both "friend" and "I" as manifestations of a single being, for that is how most of us are in life. It is difficult to be consistently dismayed, or even consistently clever. Why just difficult? Wouldn't it be boring as well?
( Nov 15th 2009, 12:29 PM ) says:
Seems this time I agree with you both, Ranju and Shreya (with some reservations though, which I will not unveil here)! I agree with Ranju when she says "I think the poem is not really about who got out anyway. I think it's about how attitude of a person can change the outcome...." I also thought Shreya was right when she says "It makes much sense to me to see both "friend" and "I" as manifestations of a single being, for that is how most of us are in life...." I dont know if the poet has got to say anything here. I would love to know his interpretation! Or is he also one among those who believe that the author is dead after the creation, and a reader is born?! Mridul
( Nov 19th 2009, 03:27 AM ) says:
The Poem is lovely as usual. The language is simple and sweet. You have beautifully reflected the selfish nature of human being or in another word we can say it has more reflected the struggle of fittest. Yes, one is the winner who can overcome the struggle in a tactful way.
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Why didn't your friend help you get out too?! The friend is an asshole!!!