Nostalgia

 

MATILDA CARMEN

 

Matilda Carmen, was a professor of English in a city college in Kerala, India. She  was never published during her lifetime. 

She has not published any poetry collection. The poem 'The Sleep of Death'' included here is from her  small xerox booklet ' Whispers in the wind' given to the editor during one of the Poetry Chain readings. 

 

Matilda's poems do not  at all belong to the  world of new poetry. If we must discard poetry that is still being written in the Romantic vein, she has certainly no chance to be read. But it is  still  well worth reading her poem 'The Sleep of Death'  before sending it  to the trash bin.Read carefully, and surely we'll all agree that the poem  is indeed a moving piece with a rare Elizabeth Browning charm.

 

 

 

The Sleep of Death

 

When the eyes are closed in sleep,

And that sleep is the sleep of death,

Eyes closed forever to the lovely earth

And all that had made this life so great,

So rich, so gay, so truly fine;

When you know these eyes will neér again

nor see nor stare nor gaze or wink,

nor even return a stupid blink,

nor turn in rage, or in pity melt,

shed tears of joy or hot brine of pain,

will never more send messages of love

or even look at you again-

Then your own eyes can begin to weep

for a dear departed, forever gone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 T