Paper Boats

Once, long ago

I floated those little paper boats

down the sparkling stream.

I gazed at them in abundant joy

as they sailed one by one

to a land far away.

Sometimes, it rained;

leaving my little life boats

all feeble and wet.

I held tight,

bit my teeth hard

and prayed for

their safe voyage.

I chased their trails,

and kept a keen watch

until I lost them from sights.

Today,

those little paper boats

have arrived here.

But,

an eon has passed;

we sailed far too long

for far too little

to meet again.

Now, we disremember

to know each other.

those little paper boats

I once floated 

long ago.

- AH, 03/01/2017

Reviews

[Marie]

Childhood reminiscences are beautifully penned in this captivating poem, Abhilish. Little boys love to make paper boats and float them on the river. When I was growing up, the little boys used to make paper boats and float them on the channel between the kerb and the road after a very heavy shower of rain. Like the little boats of childhood, friends too drift away from us on "The Sea of Life" and meeting them eons later, the connection is not the same if it is there at all, in so many cases it may be lost and beyond reconciliation. I love the visual detail in this poem, it is so pure! The poem is very finely expressed and to me it's an allegorical gem! Superb write! I so enjoyed reading it and it brought a few childhood memories to me as I read. THANK YOU! for sharing, Abhilash!

[A.H.]

Thank you for the kind words, Marie. As you recollected, I did the very same as a little boy, making paper boats and float them down the channel after a heavy downpour. I'm glad to hear your reminsces and thoughts. So true, after eons later, things may not turn out to be same. Much appreciated and grateful for this review. Thank u :)

[Marie]

Most welcome always, Abhi. It is lovely to read that you also floated paper boats down the channel after a heavy downpour. I wonder that little children, regardless of which country they live in, enjoy the same methods of play. Sadly, that has changed with the passing of time and children now no longer play outdoors in the sun, in the rain and do not spend time with Mother Nature due to now being tuned into their mobile phones/tablets/play stations, so really they have no childhood and in time to come will have no childhood memories to look back on, Abhi. Wondering how/if that will affect them? I guess they will have their own though very different memories to recall! Wishing you a very lovely, blessed and pleasant Saturday. Have an equally nice weekend too...

[A.H.]

Yes true, these days kids don't interact with nature or play much outdoors. It's sad how technology has made us more inward than outward. Hopefully, kids who are growing up now will have their own version of childhood stories to tell, which would be starkly different from ours. But I believe childhood is childhood, it would still be special like it always is, for us then and for them now. :) Have a great rest of weekend, Marie!

[Marie]

I agree 110% , Abhi. Each generation will have their own childhood memories, different from the generations gone before, but very special for them too. Thank you for your very kind greetings. I too, wish you a great rest of the weekend, Abhi!

[barleygirl]

This is brilliant in its simplicity, the way your straightforward description conjures up a TON of stuff! Of course we all remember following a leaf that's floating down a stream & pretending it's a boat. Where do all these boats/leaves end up? Your poem speaks to me of the wonder of chasing a thing . . . it's always so much better than catching the thing. After we catch it, it becomes hard work to make life happen with whatever prize we think we've won. It's so much more fun to just keep chasing the dream. Some people never graduate beyond that (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[A.H.]

Truly!.. leaves/paper boats - we followed them down a stream and always kept a watch where they ended up. I'm so glad to hear your perspectives on this one and your thoughts indeed are so true. Definitely, Life more is more fun when we chase our dreams and keep it alive.
Best, Abhilash

[Paul Bell]

Quite enjoyed paper boats when I was a kid, a skill probably lost to kids now.
The race to see whose boat could get down the river without sinking.
They'll be a health and safety code on paper boats now, you can just guarantee it.

[A.H.]

Thanks for stopping by, Paul and sharing your thoughts on this one. Yes, the race was always fun, nice to bring back some memories..

[Relic]

Adulthood has a tendency to draw us away from the wonder of being young. We don't have the same fervor for imagination in the same way because we've grown accustomed to everything around us. Decisions and responsibilities water-down lots of dreams too.

Good poem.

[A.H.]

True! I must say your observations. Thank you Relic for reading and sharing your thoughts.
Sorry for the late response, I have been off writing for a while and didn't get a chance to be here again on writerscafe.
-Abhilash

[Relic]

No problem. :)

[Najam Us Saher]

I also wrote a similar poem on paper boats. I liked the journey and story you created with the words.

[A.H.]

Thank you Najam..

[Najam Us Saher]

You're welcome.

[.]

A great little write on nostalgia and the long gone days of youth.

As we age we grow out of all the hobbies and things we used to do to entertain ourselves. They fall in the face of maturity and responsibility. But the memories of those days remain with us forever, cherished and stored in a safe place in our minds.

I enjoyed the idea behind this poem, paper boats....although my youth was more about paper airplanes!

A very nice write, Abhilash. Good to see you active again on this forum.

[A.H.]

Thanks Doodley for the review! Yeah, refreshing some of the old memories and seeing ourselves through the prism of past. Sorry, for the late response.. been off the site for a while. I'm glad you took out time to read this one :)

[Krutika]

Paper Boats! I know this feeling and it brings sense of nostalgia with it..
Thanks for sharing :)

[A.H.]

Yep, it's a dose of nostalgia and feels always nice to relive and soak back in those times again :) Thanks Krutika for sharing your thoughts on this write!

[Stan Lee]

Sweet little poem. Joy and beauty in the simple things of life right. :)

[A.H.]

Yes, so true. Simple little things in life are joyous and beautiful :) They 're priceless! Thanks Andronicus for reading!

[Bear]

I once set sail on such a fold paper boat hoping to find both adventure and fate. Alas it waterlogged shortly after lunch and sank so your poem strikes my heart as I know this feeling oh so well. First I want to thank you for taking me back in time Standing Ovation! Five out of five Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

[A.H.]

Hahaha. That's a sweet anecdote, Bear :) Good to hear you could go back in time to revisit those sweet times. You're very welcome! Thanks so much for reading the poem and leaving your thoughts on this one.

[Manu]

I feel some of us can relate with this feeling and experience. As we grow older, things change and like that those playful games of paper boats too become a memory. I loved the way you kept those memories and innocence of childhood emotions alive through this piece. Witnessing the transition and pondering over it sometimes bring mixed emotions in us. This write did the same.
I used to like paper boats a lot. So thank you for letting me go back to the past through this piece.
Wonderful piece of writing as always, Abhilash :-)
Keep writing.

[A.H.]

I'm glad to know this piece let you go back in time and relive those memories. Yeah, I must say it's a bittersweet experience :D Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts on the poem. Appreciate it! :)

[Bala Gorthi]

Wow! Abhilash Hegde, after a long break, back with a beautiful one.
We sailed far too long for far too little to meet again. Now, we disremember to know each other.
Very true indeed. Many things change with no improvement or progress in real terms and certain things don't change at all.
Thanks for sharing.

[A.H.]

Thanks Bala for a quick review! Agree very much on your thoughts here on the poem. I'm glad you stopped by and shared your thoughts :)