It is a known fact that the human mind is one of the most complex systems ever designed and aids us in multi-tasking. It is all-encompassing and can accommodate a million thoughts all at once. It has no limits and knows no boundaries. In fact, there is a beautiful Tamil song that comes to my mind as I write it (Just told you it can multi-task!) - "Kadallukundu karpanaikkillai katupaadu" [the oceans might have boundaries, but not imagination - from Mettupodu by the Mozart of Madras].
This was the most onerous task of reflective writing that I've undertaken as yet to uncover my mind and pen its wonders.
Before posting the poem here, I collected the thoughts and interpretations of various people on this poem through a fun exercise to see how each one looked at it and the responses were simply astounding. While some thought it was about enchanting worlds, others thought there was something about my mind (pun intended) in it.🤣
For those of you who wondered if your interpretations were right, let me tell you that there is no right or wrong in poetry. Nobody can tell what exactly Homer or Edgar Allen Poe had in mind. After all, poetry is all about layers of meaning and hidden symbolism. Anyway here is the poem and what exactly I had in mind while penning it!
An inward gaze I often take and
Land into my wonderland.
An amusing place it is,
Of thoughts it is made, and not of bricks.
Thoughts that make my eyes glint,
With tears at times and also when ideas hit.
Yes, my eyes glint, the sheen of it,
Is prettier than any shadowy tint.
I go on a roller coaster ride,
When my wonderland is in high tide.
It is full of electric current,
And never has there been a dull moment.
It races on faster than light,
And I go through it without a fight.
On the roller coaster ride I remain,
It shocks me cruelly yet absorbs my pain.
But no ride is the same, the transfiguration
On me is my Wonderland's potion in action.
At times, It leaves me with a dream
Or sometimes, Eureka - at a solution I scream.
And then, it is time for me to part,
From my Wonderland I depart.
Yet a souvenir of the ride remains in mind,
For, my mind is my Wonderland!!
Pause for a moment and collect your thoughts.
Now, what did I have in mind while wielding my pen?
Looking inside takes me to my 'Wonderland' which is full of crazy thoughts of different hues and different times. Some might be strands of real memories while yet others might be little unfulfilled dreams.
These thoughts bring shimmer and glitter to my eyes sometimes because of the glistening tears brought by sorrow and at times because of the brouhaha caused by a sudden idea that hits my mind, the beauty of which is better than any superficial eye-makeup.
At times my 'Wonderland' is fully charged and has no empty space and takes me through different memory lanes some joyous, some glum.
When my Wonderland is completely charged with pain and sorrow over the disapparation of a dear one or the betrayal of a trusted one, it becomes fully active and takes me on a ride with it going through other memories which I don't resist (quite masochistically) as I know it will teach me life-lessons and make me accept what has happened.
And then I realize that I was right about taking the ride as it works on me like a 'potion', it actually helps and leaves me anew, becoming a slightly different person than I was before the ride I took. It presents a solution to my troubled soul or leaves me with a new dream
But alas, it is time to finally come out of my 'Wonderland' however I don't leave empty-handed, rather I leave with the dream or solution with me to make life more interesting. Yes, my Wonderland is my mind!!!
Now that you've scrolled all the way down, I'm convinced you must be the philosophical sort....or by now, you must be wondering what is seriously wrong with my 'wonderland'. Any which ways, thanks for patronizing my work.
Do leave a comment for any suggestions or constructive criticism that I can work on!!