The earth and sky were unknown worlds to me
Only the expanse of mother’s bosom was a world to me
Every movement was a symbol of life’s pleasure to me
My own speech was like a meaningless word to me
During infancy’s pain if somebody made me cry
The noise of the door chain would comfort me
Oh! How I stared at the moon for long hours
Staring at its silent journey among broken clouds
I would ask repeatedly about its mountains and plains
And how surprised would I be at that prudent lie
My eye was devoted to seeing, my lip was prone to speak
My heart was no less than inquisitiveness personified
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Explanatory Notes
1. Allusion to the “spots” on the moon’s surface which are the shadows of its mountains but variously described in nursery rhymes and tales of fantasy
(Muhammad Iqbal)
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Based on Topics: Life Poems, World Poems, Mothers Poems, Sign & Symbol Poems, Speech PoemsBased on Keywords: allusion, variously, explanatory, inquisitiveness