Bits of pieces,
Scattered around,
To pick them up,
is what must be done,
Shifted about,
The broom sweeps,
What left underneath,
Is none of my concern,
Scoured away,
Evanesced by each beating minute,
Concealed far apart from my sight,
There is nothing to be noticed,
Cipher left behind,
Nullity lingers here,
Nothing was here,
Indifference, it never was.
By Sarah Shahzad, July 2024
About Remnants of Indifference
The poem describes a scene where fragments or bits are scattered around, symbolizing something that was once whole but has now been broken or dispersed. The speaker acknowledges the need to gather these scattered pieces, suggesting a task that must be undertaken despite its difficulty or lack of immediate importance to them.
The imagery of sweeping with a broom evokes a sense of cleaning or clearing away, but the speaker shows detachment from what remains hidden or left behind after the sweeping is done. This indifference is emphasized by the repetition of phrases like “none of my concern” and “nothing to be noticed.”
As time passes (“evanesced by each beating minute”) whatever was left behind becomes less significant, almost fading into obscurity. The use of words like “cipher” “nullity” and “nothing” underscores the theme of absence or emptiness.
Ultimately, the poem reflects on the fleeting nature of things and one’s detachment from them. It suggests a contemplation on indifference and the inevitability of things disappearing or becoming insignificant over time. The title, “Remnants of Indifference” encapsulates this theme of detachment and the traces left behind when something or someone ceases to matter.
