By Pramod Rastogi
A Grand Bouquet
Years have rained from the sky
Like flower petals falling leisurely
On the face of a life in a trance.
Each year one flower more
I have added to my bouquet,
Kept in a fancy glass vase
On the altar of my mystic past.
The bouquet has a sacred look
With sleek flowers of all sizes,
Of myriad colours and hues.
I look back at the titanic altar
And perceive a feeling of joy
And nostalgia for the years
That I collected these flowers.
Alas, this imposing bouquet
And the aroma it imparts
Are my only pieces of fortune.
The years have faded away
And so have many flowers.
Only a few robust ones are left
That perfume my heart.
The years will all melt away
And the vase will soon be full.
On display will be vivid colours
And a delicate fragrance to recap
The undying spirit of my life.
A candle will then be lit
In grief and in tribute
To the grandiose bouquet
That had adorned this vase.
Pramod Rastogi is an Emeritus Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is a Member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences. He is the 2014 recipient of the SPIE Dennis Gabor Award. He is currently a guest Professor at the IIT Gandhinagar, India.
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