“Man has always tried to make sense of life by using metaphors for it. That Life is a voyage, is a popular comparison because of the associations it brings of traveling through the unmapped territory that is allotted to every one of us.”
Uncommon poet Dhruv Jain uses this metaphor effectively to paint graphically a contrast between the stages of life- mainly the age of innocence and experience.
He reveals his inspiration for this poem-
One day I was coming home from work after a long tiring day when I saw some kids playing in a garden. Their faces did not reveal any tension and they were just enjoying. I started to think about it and realized how I was once also like them. But in a race to success, I have lost all that energy and that true enjoyment. Then my thoughts trailed towards what I am doing. I wanted to be someone great or just be happy (I think) but I am none of that. I felt like there is no happiness or success or all of my dreams seem to have gone away. In a true sense, all my wishes have been declined. This started my trail of thoughts which resulted in this piece.
The Wrecked Ship
When I was a child, the boat sailed well
It moved smoothly along the ocean swell
No dangers, the possibility of everything
The ocean an empire and I was a king
All I wished was just to get a flagship
To get me through the tides of life’s trip,
Wishing to gain back my freedom to choose
Never realizing what I was going to lose
There was no rescue for I was foolish and blind,
Living life of a sprocket, all my wishes declined.
Sailing throughout the day and night
As I reach closer, the shore ran out of sight.
Hopeless wanderer searching for a home,
Not realizing everything he wanted is gone.
This ship of my dreams ready to be ‘drowned’,
Waves of hammering reality crashing all around
All my efforts are wasted; the ship is already sinking,
All my dreams were fake, oh what was I thinking!
There was no rescue for I was foolish and blind
Living life of a sprocket, all my wishes declined.
There are times in Life when everything we have worked for, does not seem to bear fruit. The ship which began its journey with great enthusiasm and convictions, often finds itself broken and wrecked due to the journey it has subjected itself to. Hopes are shattered, dreams lie scattered and the ship of life seems to be drifting aimlessly.
We must take heart because nothing is over till we give up on our dreams.
The poem may seem sad but the fact is both sorrow and joy is transitory. We have got through some of the worst phases of our life, and though the ship may seem wrecked, there is always that glimmer of hope.
About the poet:
Dhruv Jain is a 25 year old software developer living in Faridabad. He reveals that he has written many poems as an outlet of my anguish and despair. Most of the poems are a little dark as I generally write when I am depressed or thinking too much about reality.
Poetry is an avenue of expression- and poets use it to express their innermost feeling to the world.
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