The Untuned Blessing - By Aneesh Chatterjee

Written By: Aneesh Chatterjee

Category: Poetry

Competition: Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Aneesh Chatterjee presents a deeply introspective work titled "The Untuned Blessing" as part of the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 hosted by Hashtag Kalakar. In this evocative poem, Aneesh explores the metaphysical journey of the soul, its constraints within the human condition, and the eternal quest for spiritual freedom. Through the lens of poetry, Aneesh crafts a narrative that resonates with universal themes of identity, divinity, and self-discovery.

About the Work

"The Untuned Blessing" delves into the duality of existence and the conflict between the spiritual and the material. Aneesh Chatterjee employs rich imagery and philosophical questioning to convey the soul's struggle against earthly confines. The poem’s tone is both contemplative and enlightening, inviting readers to reflect on the nature of truth and the courage to embrace one's true self. Aneesh’s use of metaphor and lyrical language crafts a tapestry that captivates and challenges the reader's perception of reality.

The Untuned Blessing

Original Submission by Aneesh Chatterjee

The Untuned Blessing

Why must the soul , that translucent tincture of celestial design ,

Be condemned to crawl in corridors of carnal confine ?

Why must its boundless breadth be bridled by brittle bone ,

And its voice ….the psalm of heaven…muffled by mortal tone ?

Why must perception’s prism partition the prismed light ,

And bend divinity to binaries of black and white ?

For in the loom of life , the threads of truth entwine ,

Yet we , the blind weavers , call pattern divine.

Why must the eyes that mirror man’s own maker’s mind

Be cursed to see in shape and shade the form confined ?

Why must love be lettered , lust be named ,

And purity profaned by the need to be proclaimed ?

Is not affection the flame that feeds the firmament’s height ?

Is not the kiss of souls but the cosmos’s delight ?

And yet the body’s boundaries blaspheme that sacred rite ,

Where angels are ashamed to anoint what mortals indict.

Behold the carriage ….corridor of coincidence and creed ,

Where destinies drowse and doctrines bleed.

A pilgrim of paradox I sat , clad in conceit and thought ,

With hair like the halo of philosophers distraught ,

When a wanderer of worlds … unspoken , unbound , unnamed ….

Entered as if fate herself were framed ,

Their hands struck sound , and with every clap of command ,

The air was carved with auguries the ignorant withstand.

O that the flesh could flee its fear , that the tongue could tell

What heart in hollow honesty knew so well !

But shame …. that spectral serpent …. coiled round my chest ,

Hissing the hymns of habit’s behest.

I fled … yes ….fled from that mirror of grace ,

From the gaze that unmasked the masquerade of my face.

For truth too sudden is terror’s twin ,

And innocence often mistakes revelation for sin.

O Maker of Masks ! why craft concealment’s creed ,

Then curse the child that obeys its need ?

Why paint in hearts the hues that heaven forbids ,

Then punish the painter for the palette he hid ?

Why bless through vessels the world despises ,

Why speak in tongues that tradition chastises ?

Thy theatre of thought is cruelly grand ,

For actors are scorned for the roles Thou planned.

Perhaps the stranger was no mortal form ,

But the echo of Eden before the Fall’s storm ,

Perhaps their clap was creation’s call to awake ,

That the clay might recall the shape it forsake.

Perhaps they were prophet , perhaps penance ,

A bridge between shame and acceptance.

Yet I … a coward of cosmos … in cowardice kept ,

And fled from faith’s reflection wept.

Now night narrates the tale I could not tell ,

And every rail repeats that knell ,

Each spark that leaps from the wheel’s white ring

Sings of the blessing I failed to bring.

O Truth … Thou untuned blessing …. Thy silence resounds ,

For in stillness Thy symphony astounds.

Thou dwellest not in temples nor tongues defined ,

But in the trembling pulse of a questioning mind.

And if I must live within the labyrinth of disguise ,

Let the Minotaur of conscience never die.

Let my fear be philosopher , my silence be psalm ,

And the wound of that moment ….my eternal calm.

For what was denied shall yet define ,

The unspoken word …. the holiest line ,

And for all who in mirrors seek deliverance hence ,

Know …. the Divine abides in divergence.

Yet in the shadowed chamber of my own concealment,

Where guilt and grace were twined in endless entanglement,

I felt a stirring … subtle, sacred, and slow…

As though the cosmos whispered through the pulse of my woe.

The claps that once cleaved my courage now echoed within,

No longer accusation, but illumination’s hymn.

O Blessed Divergence ! thou architecture of the unformed,

Thou curvature of creation that convention scorned,

I see at last thy hand in the tremor of my being,

The symmetry of shadows, the light between fleeing.

No longer shall I flee from the shape I was made to be,

Nor bind the soul in the body’s brittle decree.

The blessing …. untuned, unclaimed, unspoken …

Is neither gift nor grievance, neither vow nor token;

It abides as the river abides the stone,

Silent, sovereign, eternal in its own tone.

And I … once fugitive, once fractured … receive,

The holy tremor of being that refuses reprieve.

O Everlasting Inventor ! let the soul perch free,

Beyond the mirrors, beyond the cages, beyond what we see.

Let the harmony of divergence resound within,

A testament that even exile may enter and win.

For what was feared, denied, and cast aside,

Becomes the sanctity in which the spirit may abide.

Thus I stand …. not perfected, not pure, not absolved…

But reconciled in the enigma that cannot be resolved.

The rails hum on, the city sleeps, the cosmos expands,

And the blessing, untuned, falls gentle as hands.

And for all who glance, for all who dare,

The dance of existence continues … luminous … rare.

About the Competition

The Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar celebrates the power of the written word, bringing together voices from around the world. This esteemed platform encourages poets, writers, and thinkers to share their unique perspectives and narratives. With a focus on creativity and expression, the competition provides a stage for both emerging and established talents to shine, fostering a global community of literary enthusiasts.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Aneesh Chatterjee for sharing "The Untuned Blessing" with us. This profound poem adds depth and richness to the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Aneesh's exploration of the soul’s journey offers readers a moment of reflection and inspiration. We look forward to witnessing more of Aneesh’s insightful contributions to the world of poetry and creative writing.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.