Footfalls Of Antiquity Poem by Valsa George

Footfalls Of Antiquity

Rating: 5.0


From the framed picture hung on the wall
Two faces look nobly down
The faces of my grandma and grandpa
Taking me to the times gone by

Smiling at their wavering progeny
They retell the saga of their blissful life
A life of selfless share and care
Inspiring generations in their travail

Curling back to times and climes primeval
I hear the sound of their footfalls around
In a humble dwelling, joyfully they lived
As children of the soil with hands full of toil

They worked together from dawn to dusk
Greeting every new dawn with fresher zeal
Their hearts were securely fastened in love
And had needs minimum and complaints nil

Two fountains that sprang from sources different
Had merged together before their early teens
Through wedlock they had been customarily bound
At a time when they hardly knew what it meant

Had played together as buddies for long
Until instinct made them man and wife
When fledglings were hatched in their little nest
They worked together never knowing rest

Hit by adversities hard, at times they sank very low
But with resilience, bounced back
And frugally saved every nickel and dime
To meet the needs of their growing household

They tottered together in the evening of their life
Serving as prop to each other when about to fall
In their twilight years, ambling the corridors of memory
They reminisced sweetly the joyful events of life

Now they lie together in the same churchyard
Two streams that evenly and tranquilly ran side by side
Never once been shattered on the rocks and shoals of life
Making one wonder if their life is History or Fable

In the swelling magnitude of our life
Though trivial was their share
Yet they stay as beacons of light
Leaving a trail of light to blaze our paths

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
Child marriage was something common in India in the time of my grand parents in the 1880s. My grand parents were only ten and twelve when they got married. Still it is believed that they were an exemplary couple who lived a life of great committment! Their life was one of hardwork, but of great joy and contentment! !
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Chandra Thiagarajan 22 May 2013

Valsa, a great lovely tribute to your grand parents! Yes. Our grand parents lives were simple and sweet though they toiled they were there for each other and- - In their twilight years ambling in the corridors of memory / They reminisced sweetly the joyful events of life - shows their togetherness! LOVED THE POEM, VALSA!

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R.j. Wynn 22 May 2013

Sounds lovely and grandparents rock, you can't beat them.

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Shahzia Batool 23 May 2013

Valsa Ji, for narration, description, characterization, and versification...this is my........... Poem of the Day! ! !

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Kavya . 23 May 2013

yes mam...those days were really bliss amidst all the toils that they put in....a very great write!

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R.k Das 23 May 2013

prof... thanx so much for such a beautiful poem that tells the story of love and sacrifice, , i can see how proud u as their grand daughter, , the 'Footfalls of Antiquity' fall so nostalgically on the path of a modern life and time, , this poem is one of your best, thanx

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Kumarmani Mahakul 21 August 2018

They worked together from dawn to dusk Greeting every new dawn with fresher zeal Their hearts were securely fastened in love And had needs minimum and complaints nil..........the life of the past is so nicely inscribed here. It is a beautiful poem of past life having touching expression.10

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Valsa George 27 March 2018

Thank you Sylvia for your beautiful comment. Glad you tried to imbibe the essence of their life and spared so much of time to say how their life impacted you! Theirs was an inspiring saga of struggle and victory! I thought their life would be an inspiration to the new generation!

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Sylvia Frances Chan 26 March 2018

2) True mesmerizing and a most beautiful tribute.is created here, with much respect and great appreciations. What a time, these hard times of the grandparents. Respect and appreciations are the key-words here. Thank you for sharing this most valuable piece of the cultural-and historical tradition.

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Sylvia Frances Chan 26 March 2018

1) Wondrous youth marriage of three centuries ago, they stayed together until death did part them. I am amazed and think of this occurrence as a respectful and blessed festivity. I have heard and read so many stories, this is my prime time having read such a loveliest couple in full unawarness being wedded.

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Deepak Kumar Pattanayak 23 October 2014

A great tribute to grand parents, a rarity of exemplary life once lived here in this holy land......Valsa.......so beautifully and touchingly scripted, I am speechless, no words left how to praise you.......you are great...10/10

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