Taj mahal

full moon shines in the sky
witness of those moments
when your immortal love
blossomed in embraces
in soft, gentle kisses
in amorous sighs
when you were still alive
your bodies were still breathing.

full moon shines in the sky
witnesses these moments
when an emperor full of love
comes down from heaven
to meet his gorgeous empress
in the home he made for her
foreseeing this moment
when their bodies are sleeping.

they walk together hand in hand
like their bodies did in past
he shows her each and every room
of this beautiful palace
the palace he built
for their immortal love and souls
which were bound to return
looking for each other.

they exchange those loving glances
under the full moon’s light
for centuries the beautiful witness
of a love that never died
they walk in the garden
enveloped in each other’s arm
the whole world sleeps
the silver moon smiles.

never call it a tomb
or a lifeless structure
this is the earthly abode
of two heavenly creatures
if you don’t believe
come here on some moonlit night
may be you will catch a glimpse
of Shahjahan and empress Mumtaj.

sharmishtha basu
8.11.10