Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Guest Post – #Life #Poetry – I Wish I Knew Then What I Know Now! by Balroop Singh

I am sure like me, there have been times when you have wondered what difference might have been made to your life, if your younger self had been gifted with the experience and knowledge you have accumulated over the years.

I invited several friends from the writing community to share their thoughts on this subject which I am sure you will enjoy as much as I did.

Today author and poet Balroop Singh shares a poem reflecting her thoughts on times in her life when she wished she had more experience and understanding about relationships, time passing and loss.

I wish I knew then what I know now! Balroop Singh

There was a time
when I lived in a cocoon,
created by my mother
and crawled out only when I had to!

I wish I had known her agony
I wish I had the insight to understand,
I had the words to share, to calm her,
I wish I had the wisdom to empathize.

I wish I had known
Death is most outrageous
It ravages homes at will,
It doesn’t see the age.

If I knew grief is not individualistic
I wouldn’t have immersed
in the gloomy waters of despair
gasping for breath.

I wish I had soared above the abyss
To touch the waterfalls
gleefully flowing with solace
But I lacked the perceptive eye.

I wish I had known
that dark clouds would crumble
and the streamers of joy
would dance around me.

I wish I had known
The lanes of life are labyrinthine,
meandering through unknown alleys
We have to traverse with patience.

I wish I had known
All paths are littered with thorns,
all people are alike
All relationships change.

I wish I had known
That time is a tireless traitor,
It would fly faster than life
stealing my precious moments.

I wish I had met the unseen robber –
‘Detachment’ earlier
I wish he would’ve told me
that no one can vanquish him.

I wish I had known
Emotions become superfluous
when they break out of embankments
The deluge may drown us.

When I was drowning in the sea of tears
I wish I had known
that there is life beyond distress
A life of liberation, of jubilation, of celebrations!

© Balroop Singh

My thanks to Balroop for sharing her wonderful poem that I know I can relate to and I am sure you can too.

About Balroop Singh

Balroop Singh, an educator, a poet and an author always had a passion for writing. She would jot down her reflections on a piece of paper and forget about them till each drawer of her home started overflowing with poetic reminders, popping out at will! The world of her imagination has a queer connection with realism. She could envision the images of her own poetry while teaching the poems. Her dreams saw the light of the day when she published her first poetry book: ‘Sublime Shadows Of Life.’ She has always lived through her heart. She is a great nature lover; she loves to watch birds flying home. The sunsets allure her with their varied hues that they lend to the sky. She can spend endless hours listening to the rustling of leaves and the sound of waterfalls. She lives in California.

Books by Balroop Singh

One of the reviews for Hues of Hope

Apr 12, 2022 D.L. Finn rated it five stars it was amazing

“Hues of Hope” is a beautiful collection of poems that examines the hope in life. There are so many wonderful poems that it is hard to pick favorites, but I always connect the most with nature poems.

Although all the poetry brought vivid images to me as I read them, here are some examples of the words that moved me. In the poem HOW FRAGILE IS LIFE! I could easily relate since I live where fire danger is very serious: “When you watch helplessly/Mother Nature wreaking havoc/Holding your heart in smithereens/You think of those who couldn’t make it/Reduced to bones and ashes within seconds.” MAGIC captured my heart: “I’ve never believed in magic/Yet I look for it everywhere/In the sunshine that lights/Crevices within me.” A TOUCH offers pure hope: “Her magical, dewy carpet/Carries calm whispers/Her Lilting leaves remind me/Of songs that we sang together.”

If you enjoy poetry, as I do, you don’t want to miss this collection. I can easily recommend it!  

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – and : Amazon UK – Follow Balroop : Goodreads – blog:Balroop Singh on WordPress – Twitter: @BalroopShado

Thank you for dropping in today and it would be great if you could share Balroops thoughts on the prompt… thanks Sally.