I distinctly remember being very excited to read Arthur C. Clarke’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” and I also remember that I didn’t read it in English — I read a Sinhalese translation. But I also remember purchasing “2010: Odyssey Two” as an English book, and the amazing cover for it.
At that time, I didn’t know that the cover was drawn by Michael Whelan. I learnt that years later. I don’t think I ever purchased “2061: Odyssey Three” and so I don’t think I was even aware of this cover till recently, when I started writing poems based on Michael’s artwork 🙂
But when I look at this artwork, it leaves me with a sense of vastness, of infinite possibilities. And that’s where I went with the poem for this artwork…
New Worlds
by Fahim FarookStep into my world,
Said the portal as it whirled,
Beckoning me on,
To worlds not yet born.A world where cruelty is gone,
Where kindliness and charity shone,
Or one where people treated each other,
As they would their sister or brother.Another where lies were outlawed,
People stood together for truth, unbowed.
Vanity and preening were banished,
Humility was practiced by the accomplished.A world where equality was the law,
None over others did gleefully crow,
There was no us vs. them,
A world like no other, it was a gem.These worlds are mere fancy right now,
That portal is a dream, of this I vow,
Till we change our thinking, our being,
It will remain a dream, near, yet so fleeting.
