Aspiration by Armando Menezes (1902—1983) is a poem that deals with human aspiration and the working of the poetic mind.  The poet wants to ramble as a rambler, wander as a wanderer, a cloud floating, a star shining over. The poem reminds us of the Bible and the Biblical parables and sermons. Born at S. Mathias, Goa, on the 11th of May 1902, he graduated from St. Xavier’s College, Bombay, receiving the Duke of Edenborough Scholarship and Chancellor’s Gold Medal. Thereafter he lectured and worked for some more years at the same college. Later, he serves Kartak College, Dharwar  and finally joins Karnatak Univ. as Professor of English.

Had he been a clod of earth, he could have the mystery of God and in it is hidden the mystery of birth and creation, life and death, the green earth that see we. A vulgar clod it lies calm with the trust bestowed upon by God. The clouds shading and the sunbeams sparkling are the rays of hope and optimism with which the things can take a turn. Corns will come out; golden ears of grains will grow and ripen into. When laden with, it evaporates and rains, showers and drizzles. When the heart heavy with, corns burst upon.

Such a thing is in Kabira’s’ poetry, metaphysical stuff expressed through the molten clay used for making earthenware symbolically. The picture of the Potter is in Harindranath Chattopadhyaya, but he fails to remain stuck to metaphysics. The poet wishes to be a clod of earth and the same gets molded by God so mystically one day, is the truth of life to be felt. How can one imagine it, the Divine Scheme of Things? The poet is Biblical in his references and it reminds us of The Sermon On The Mount. The cloudy shadows and the sparkling sunbeams, golden and scattering give a new lease of life to the piece of earth lying barren and bereft of. Dust thou art, to dust returnest, is the thing. Everything is but His, the world you see, the creation around us. This life of joy and sorrows is His. God-given life, what to say it about? The paths of life too are so different and unknown.

A very beautiful poem it can win over our hearts, so meaningful and significant to have from his him. A clod of earth, God’s mystery, the shadow of cloud, the glory of rainfall, the sunbeams, etc. add meaning to the poem. The rains quenching thirst and the heart aches bursting into the breast of earth full of corns sprouting and laden with grains, these add to the poem.

I think I could be,
A clod of earth, 
God’s mystery
Of birth ;

A vulgar clod
Calm with the trust
Bestowed by God
On dust.

The shadow of cloud
And the sun’s beams
Would be my proud
Far dreams.

And I would, waking
One sudden morn,
Feel my heart aching
With corn ;

Feel a great thirst
Within me strain
Towards heaven a burst
With rain . . .

The glory of rainfall
The dust should wed,
That a few have all
Men’s bread.