Book Seven:
Mellow Tones
By
DC
Chambial
Published
by
USA:
PublishAmerica, 2009
Preface
Poetry serves as
therapeutic in its nature to the poet who feels and carries the burden of his
creations in his mind vis-a-vis his milieu. He seeks a synthesis between his
imagination and the world in which he lives. Various socio-politico-cultural
changes steadily taking place cannot escape his discerning eye and he, like an
eagle, is keen to notice them minutely and meticulously and shape his thoughts
drenched in these transformations for the benefit of posterity
What these poems
are is best known only to the readers/critics, who happen to be the true judge
of any work of art. The artist/poet unloads his burden of imagination and
passes it very carefully and cautiously on to the generations to come and seeks
to live with them.
The artist’s
efforts bear fruit if these are taken note of and that becomes his highest
reward in the real sense. With this notion, I am offering these figments of my
fancy to the learned readers and critics for their true evaluation. Let me wind
up with a couplet from Alexander Pope :
‘Tis with our judgements as our watches, none
Go just alike, yet each believes his own.
DC Chambial
Foreword
Indo-Anglian
literature is an inquisitive native wave, an expression of the true and
creative genius of the Indians. Indians have written – are writing – in English
for reaching out one another and with the outside world, for achieving
self-expression artistically, using English, if necessary, or necessarily, in
an Indian way. But there are peculiarities of Indian life and experience and
speech that don’t easily admit of translation into English terms. Indian
English is partly conditioned by Indian family of languages, varied
socio-cultural milieu and speech habits in different linguistic areas.
Mellow Tones by D C Chambial
is a collection of poems where the poet treats the subjective thoughts and his
soaring imagination with depth and thoroughness that only a seasoned expert can
command. One of the most important theme and sub themes of Chambial is a quest
for ‘self’. Chambial’s poetry is a true tool for him to be in touch with his
real self, to be in commune with it, to observe it in the way of an intimate
reader. There is a striking web of personal quest for identity, commitment and
harmony in life that exist in the villages in the lap of the Himalayas,
Himachal Pradesh, which enrich Chambial’s poetic lines. Poems like, ‘The Truth’
and ‘Sun and Shade’ record the poet’s metaphysical bend of subjectivity that is
rare and strange.
Images and
symbols make the reader alert, insinuate him to track the poet’s thought and
derive pleasure from that. It is a basic human nature that when one gets
something genuinely artistic after hard-work, one feels greater sense of joy
and satisfaction than what one gets when everything comes easily. Nature
symbols go down in the hill poet’s poetry as naturally as “leaves to a tree”.
For Chambial, poetry is jejune without nature. In an interview with Nilanshu
Agarwal, the poet says, “I live in the lap of nature and cannot estrange myself
from it.” Chambial’s imagery is largely confined to the natural world in which
he moves, though there are some castings-out for metaphors ranging from the
topical and sociological issues like Tsunami and Earth quake.
The poet is
always been optimistic in everything. Chambial is a distinct soul maker who
celebrates the Himalaya tradition with fitting images and symbols of pain and
pleasure of the Himalayan life. Change is the archetypal web of nature. “Old
order changeth yielding place to new ….” Otherwise even good things of this
physical and sensory world would of objectivity become sordid and monotonous.
It is the change that keeps interest alive not only in art but also in life.
The memory of
the woods, old values, folk traditions of the Himalaya and village cottages
offered ‘sonorous song’ to his mind, and even affected him when he was not
aware of the memory, influencing his deeds of kindness and love. He further
credits the palpable memory of the scene with offering him access to that
mental and spiritual state in which the burden of he world of experience is
lightened, in which he prays to the ‘FLAME above’.
Chambial handles
the sensitive issues like Mumbai terrorist attack with profound care and
subtlety. The feeling of loneliness is palpable throughout the book. The poems
are both introspective and reflective, and they are intertwined in an organic
wholeness. He is primarily a poet seeking, sometimes in vain, other times unsuccessfully,
a balance between an existential involvement with life and an intellectual
quest for commitment.
The language of
the poems is beguilingly striking for its simplicity and forthrightness; the
poet is in no way concerned with ostentation. The syntax and idiom of Chambial
in the poems of this anthology evoke a startling pulsation to the poetry
critics. There is hardly any attempt to hide behind the jingle of mere words.
The poet in him is perceptive of the deeper dimensions of being. He is instead concerned
with speaking from the heart in a plainspoken manner.
JAYDEEP SARANGI May
2009
[Jaydeep Sarangi: critic, literary
editor, Bi-lingual Indian English poet and short story writer who is the Head
of the Department of English, Seva Bharati Mahavidyalaya (Vidyasagar
University), Kapgari: 721 505, Paschim Medinipur, W.B. (India). Dr Sarangi is
the author of a number of significant publications including sixteen books on
issues like Postcolonial Studies, Indian writing in English, Australian Literature
and Linguistics and ELT and in reputed journals/magazines in India and abroad.
He is a leading critic on Indian Poetry in English.]
Index:
1.Reflections on Nature and Life, 2. Seeds of the Kind, 3-7. Tsunami Disaster, 8. Fantasmagoria, 9. Sun and Dawn, 10. Life: An Episode, 11. Sacrifice, 12. Sun in Shade, 13. Eternal Truth, 14. A Song of Life, 15. How I Wish, 16. Man – An Amalgam, 17. Gumption, 18. Liver Ever 19. Let Us Learn ... 20. Life – II, 21. I Think, 22. Death, 23. Worried, 24. First Touch, 25. Song of Soul, 26. Mind, Age, Experience; 27. You Ask I Give, 28. Birth to Death. 29. Darkness and Light, 30. Leaf, 31. A Wish for a Poem, 32. Full Moon, 33. Ice-flowers, 34. A Butterfly, 35. Warm Sun ... 36. Cat and Dove, 37. Two Kyrielles (for Krishna Srinivas) 38. Death- II, 39. The Light-house, 40. Let Us–The People, 41. Safe Harbour, 42. Eternal Fate, 43. A Different Tale, 44. Life – A Recipe.
1. Reflections on Nature and Life
Sky
overcast with clouds.
It
has, and still …
Unheard,
unseen.
The
moisture on ground
Shows
it has.
The
heat of clime
Slowly
and slowly melts
Like
ice in the morning sun;
Steadily
and steadily snow
Settles
on hills,
Smoke
in chimneys.
Cool
simply slides
Down
the mount
Into
the valley
Across
the plains
And
down the dales.
Noon
spent sleeping,
Afternoon
at desk.
After
the sun is gone
The
cold, in the dark night,
Licks
the legs,
A
furry, downy cat.
The
heart suffers shocks,
Nose
on strike:
Crippled
in love-hate
Life
and strife, side by side.
What
beauty beyond the yonder hill,
The
far end of road beyond the sill!*
0102200204
2. Seeds of the Kind
The
bed’s been made,
Weeds
removed,
Manure
blended,
Seeds
sown in sevens,
In
rows half a score.
Curious
to see
The
seeds to sprout,
Heat
and moisture
From
sun ‘n’ dew enough.
This
morn I saw
The
sandy soil
Steadily
stir
And
tender bud
Peep
out into the sun.
Then
a host of them
Stirred
like warriors in sleep
In
perfect rhythm
Valiantly
arrayed in field.
In
my fancy I find
Green
buds turn red,
Full of
season’s hue.
Sparkle
in morning dew.
In
my little dream bed
Seeking
seeds of the kind.*
(sent
to B-i-M)
3 – 7. Tsunami Disaster
(Five
Villanelles)
Yet
my fancy hadn’t matured on Florence,#
The
nature conspired at the bottom of sea,
Waves
rushed in search of life ashore thence.
Waves
rode whirlwind wings great distance;
The
life on land, in sea hadn’t time to flee,
Yet
my fancy hadn’t matured on Florence.
The
heads around the globe sans credence:
All
mirth was lost, fled, from in awe, glee.
Waves
rushed in search of life ashore thence.
Tsunami
waves trespassed, knew no fence,
The
waves rose higher than the tallest tree.
Yet
my fancy hadn’t matured on Florence.
From
off the coast, flew they in frenzy,
Those
heard and saw; froze the sights to see,
Waves
rushed in search of life ashore thence.
Land
teemed in carcasses, washed to the sea;
Young
and old, fair and strong: waves sans difference.
Yet
my fancy hadn’t matured on Florence.
Waves
rushed in search of life ashore thence.
#Loss
caused by the flood of river Arna in Nov. 1966 in Italy
II
The souls who survived the Tsunami shocks
Yet
had to encounter more dreadful fate
Never
knew before such fury of the rocks.
A
terrible sagar-manthan: waves-n-rocks;
Nothing
but death, disaster written intestate
The
souls who survived the Tsunami shocks.
No
power on Earth powered enough to block
The
dance of death achieved in scale so great.
Never
knew before such fury of the rocks.
The
land and air ripe with horrend’us horror
Not
saved parent, child; not mate the mate.
The
souls who survived the Tsunami shocks.
Death
the eyes met as far as they’d flocks
All
life lost in wink of an eye, all smoke,
Never
knew before such fury of the rocks.
No
respite for any heard and flocks
Whether
one dressed in napkin or cloak
The
souls who survived the Tsunami shocks.
Never
knew before such fury of the rocks.
III
Life
was lost, lost matter and the dreams gold.
Water
washed away what’s fair and strong.
Young cried, cried old; death had all in his fold.
The
flush so strong: none could against it hold;
Eyes
frozen, tongues couldn’t talk for long.
Life
was lost, lost matter and the dreams gold.
Air,
earth, water plotted as one and sold
Death
and loss; love and life left late a fold;
Young
cried, cried old; death had all in his fold.
Air
rumbled an oracle of death so cold;
Water
rushed ahead of time to chime the gong.
Life
was lost, lost matter and the dreams gold.
Those
rushed to rescue, wondered where to plod.
Life lay littered: spread around breathless bold,
Young
cried, cried old; death had all in his fold.
Life
is dear, dear always the drapes of mould.
Ha!
Ha! It was a tale never e’er told!
Life
was lost, lost matter and the dreams gold.
Young
cried, cried old; death had all in his fold.
IV
Slowly,
slowly life limped back to rhyme,
Helping
hands budded forth from world wide,
Bread,
clothes and home the dire need of the time.
Feeling
hearts get to set disjointed time,
Travelled,
to soothe the sighing, distance wide,
Slowly,
slowly life limped back to rhyme.
Patient,
plodding, plucky faced the rough rime,
Those
who lived stroke of fate, nothing to hide,
Bread,
clothes, home the dire need of the time.
Tried
hard to take out thorn from heart and mind,
Hard
did plod discordant note to avoid,
Slowly,
slowly life limped back to rhyme.
Stunned
eyes begin to brim with water brine,
Frozen
hearts found cadence jolt; could not hide,
Bread,
clothes, home the dire need of the time.
The
waves and rocks in rage realized their crime,
Compassion,
love not lost from hearts deep and wide,
Slowly,
slowly life limped back to rhyme.
Bread,
clothes, home the dire need of the time.
V
Tsunami
spelled disaster for Asia South.
The
monster stirred from his slumber
Down
in the deeps of the silent sea.
The
waves created awe all around
To
demonstrate doom for the lives.
Tsunami
spelled disaster for Asia South.
The
brag-man was shown his place –
A
helpless spec of dust flying around
Down
in the deeps of the silent sea.
Down
went trees tall, down, the domes high
Water
broke into like the barbarians
Tsunami
spelled disaster for Asia South.
Those
whose breaths were not done
Struck
to solitary tree afloat on the sea
Lost
not the hope; lured not the life.
Nature
never deserts those, faith that hold
Who
approach her for compassion and love,
Things
of old, though brave and bold, yet too cold;
Ask
the ones who bore the brunt hitherto untold.
8.
FANTASMAGORIA1
The
century-old ghost of nineteen-o-five2
Woke
up one dark, cold, tearing night;
Swung
to next-door neighbour in deep sleep:
‘Wake-up,
wake-up! I’m to visit
Tonight!’
and Lo! The neighbour –
In
his goodwill, without taxing brain,
Let
not any moment go down the drain –
Spent
full many hours and
Many
rupees of hard earned money
Calling
his relations, friends:
Warning
them like a guarding angel;
Angel
he was to those in sound sleep!
The
phones rang far and wide in the dark of night,
The
doors did bang; many an innocent baby
Stirred
from their sleep and hurried
Into
the open: the mercury already nose-dived,
The
sky overcast with clouds dark;
Lightening
ferociously flashed,
Clouds
thundered to frighten the daughty hearts;
Young
and old all shivered in the freezing chill
Awaited
the Mother Earth to shiver, quake.
But,
she did not: all turned out to be a hoax.
1The present poem
is about the same kind of fear when rumours were rife in April 2005. People
along with their children spent many rainy, cold nights in the open.
2The earthquake of
April 1905, in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, that had killed thousands
of people and destroyed property worth lakhs.
9.
SUN AND DAWN
Sun
in head:
Yearned
to be one
With
the wild
There
in the woods;
All
sprung
From
the same soil,
Why
this inequity?
Little
time to vortex;
A
sudden flash
In
the cool, clear, placid pool.
An
empire of
Deep
dense darkness;
A
spark of hope
Kindles
in the unfazed mind –
A
new dawn, a new hope.
2010650645
10. LIFE : An Episode
A
stone left its place on the hills,
Fell
on the head of the one who below walked
Lost
in his land on flowering fancy,
As
though fate ordained hit his head:
To
hit his head and dig a hole, did fly,
To
make a fountain of blood from head sprout,
To
send his senses soaring in the sky,
To
search for berth beauteous, above the Earth.
Above
the stunning Earth, in the hollow void
Freed
from the Earth’s chains, cares and concern,
The
breath wafted away into the void
In
heaven awaiting its wonted turn.
Life
- an episode so short, the Earth so lovely!
One
knows little why the veil is drawn so early.
2011030075
11.
SACRIFICE
Sacrifice
the
devils of ego,
desire,
and greed
on
the altar of
humble
humanity;
a
Heaven rises,
like
a phoenix,
from
the fire of Hell
on
the gasps of Earth.
2112210905
12.
SUN IN SHADE
This
land –
the
home of
Raman,
Chandrashekhar, Ramanujam,
Bose and Lala Hardyal
is
yet no less
than
a forest
full
of intellectual flora and fauna;
ignorance
and gloom of throne
(they
roll in murky morass)
spells
disaster for the spiritual leader
of
yore.
Many
a blossom
rich
in hue and aroma
when
discarded and derided
in
desperation
say
good-bye to mother
and
look for food
beyond
the bound,
beyond
the seas.
This
land is rich and kind
but
the lords
have
made it stink
their
shadow and smell
spoil
the sheen.
The
grass will be up
and
fight the sickle
that
seeks to shear
the
tender heads,
the
cloud obdurate
to
veil the beam,
the
dismal dark
that
deprives detail
of
sun and shine
of
shade and line.
2120712615
13.
ETERNAL TRUTH
uSua fNUnfUr
'kkL+=kf.k] uSua ngfr ikod%A
upSua dysn;UR;kiks]
u 'kks"k;fr ek:r%AA
(The Gita % II, 23)
Some
years hence
to
go through the door,
some
more couple of years
the
door will open for exit
out
of the beauties of the world.
The
wheel goes on
up
and down
like
a merry-go-round.
The
innings is over,
the
part played on the stage.
Will
it all be over
with
exit?
What
about the bird
that
sits in the tree and sings;
the
harper
who
silently strikes the strings;
the
charioteer
who,
without heeding
for
the sonorous sounds around,
without
caring for
the
rainbow beauties
that
try to magnetize and delude,
goes
on steering the wheels,
leads
to the Beyond?
Beyond
to Beyond –
Void
to Void –
the
Home of
all
Truth,
all
Beauty:
one
strives to know,
one
needs to know;
the
rest
a
mist;
all
alike
at
the dead of night,
at
the prime of day.
Yet
I
am! I am! I am!
TkkrL;
fg /zkzqoks e`R;q
---
This
world – a short sojourn
to
do good,
to
look for
Satyam, Shivam, Sundram
(the
True, the Good, the Beautiful –)
without
being attached to
this
or that
for,
all:
you,
he, and I
in
HIM,
HE
metamorphosizes into he,
he
into HE;
an
endless cycle.
Graciously
gravid…
vk’p;Zor Ik’;fr
df’pnsuek’Pk;Zor onfr rFkSo pkU;%A
When
that moment
of
leave-taking comes
becomes
a tortoise
to
enter the HOME
in
full effulgence.
2010845826
14. A SONG OF LIFE
Life
is a lovely fair
Enjoy
its merry-go-rounds
With
its varied colors
With
its sonorous sounds.
Life
is a beautiful flower
Let
its sheen silently spread
Let
its fragrance freely flow
To
the horizons far ahead.
Life
is a meandering river
Partake
its rhythmic footfalls
Through
the vales, through the dales
In
the plains, down the ’falls.
Life
is a sonorous song
Sing
it as a natural air
To
lilt the lily hearts
To
stir the stony stares.
From
door to door, life is a journey
Undertake
it as a pious pilgrim
Offer
love at the altar of man
Help
the week and help the hungry.
Life
is a tricky game
Play
with passion, sans any chill
Falter
not till the game is won
And
until mounted up the hill.
Life
is a deep and dark sea
Full
of corals, full of pearls
Dive
below and yourself see
An
endless treasures there twirls.
2010730136
15.
HOW I WISH
How
I wish your home
The
spring of HEALTH & JOY
Full
of Queen Sheba’s
wealth,
Wisdom
of King Solomon,
Full
of the sun of Man’s ken,
Peace
– the most loved dictum!
2000918985
16. MAN – AN AMALGAM
Angel anchors the heart
Man loves Man as Self;
Satan silently slithers in
Man loves not Man, Self.
Satan, the Archenemy,
When dared to dim
The kind and merciful, He
Dispelled ever the dark
With His stick stark.
2022145866
17. Gumption
In the present play of fire and
flame
Let us pray to the FLAME above
To light the flame of love
In our hearts and bid farewell
To the game of blood and swell
Not on hatred but gumption well.
18. LIVED EVER
Lived ever together,
like the banks of a river
side by side,
never oblivious
of each other’s floods and
nudity,
in harmony
through the crystal clear water.
How come that blood
flows for water
and banks drift apart
leaving a deep chasm?
Will no fish
jump in water
and no ripple sing
to the wearied heart
in wait?
19. LET US LEARN …
Let’s learn from rainbow
to spread colours
in the world
to make it colorful;
From a dew drop
to be humble, soft
and soothing to comfort
the sorrowful hearts;
From the river
to flow undeterred
and unyielding
to reach the goal ;
From the mountain
to be patient, serious, and staid
and stick to one point
to succeed in life.
20. LIFE – II
Life,
from door to door,
a wonderful experience,
no regrets whatsoever,
all mirthful moments –
tears of joy and sorrow;
no turning back
like the proverbial Time;
the flowing river rushing down
the hills
sallying through the plains;
snow on the mountain:
cold yet lovely;
a tall tree waving furiously in
storm:
horrible yet true and sublime;
a rainbow in sky
after the rain
that bestows life
and also disburses death.
Crimson to crimson
In the day’s journey.
Darkness envelops all,
To darkness we go back.
2021643127
21.
I THINK
I
think –
I’m a
Tower
yet
find myself
buried
in the rubble
of the
Tower.
A
horrendous cry
escapes
my lips
like
the betaal
with
one more question.
Vainly
I try
to flow
like a
swamp in the hope
of a
new flood.
201837
22. DEATH
Death,
not annihilator,
invigorates
life to act;
rids
life
of all
sorrows, sufferings, shackles;
a boon
to the
denizens of Earth;
even
gods denied, yearn
and
crave;
an end,
a
guide, a beloved, a boon,
the
best friend.
A state
of mind!
2000635937
23. WORRIED
Worried about my ice-flowers.
The sky is darkly clouded,
the wind wintry.
Flowers, famished patients,
find hard to turn sides,
open varied-hued lips to smile,
scatter joy around.
Worried –
they won’t smile
no gala of gaiety.
2200753137
24. FIRST TOUCH
One-and-a-half-year-old
grand-child in arms,
in the kitchen-garden
and beyond to show her
the mango plant in bloom,
pluck a leaf,
place it in her little hand.
Happy with the first touch
with out-door life
she cries for more.
One more leaf in hand,
her joy knows no bounds –
smile spreads across the face
enough to make the world happy.
The world – a heaven
light gleams through the eyes,
flows down the doors of dusk …
2010740137
25. SONG OF SOUL
I hope You’ll guide me now.
Through the yugas, You’ve shown;
Unknown sea I slide now
Boat is broken, sails worn.
The oars lost in the storm
That blew on wide, wide sea.
To be with Light I long
From shore that signals me.
Many a river, sea
Have I sailed. Weight of years
On my shoulders sits heavy.
I seem to sink in fears.
The Light on shore, hopeful I
look for dole.
My heart enfeebled, steadily
seeks soul.
2000759247
26. MIND, AGE, EXPERIENCE
Man matures with graying of hair
and pines for helping the
humanity
like the ripe Amla
Mind and experience of ripening
years
not to be benefited lest humanity
should benefit for some short
leap.
Mind is thrown out in consonance
with the rule
laid down like a used stone to roll down the hill
to the mill down there beyond the
caves.
2021510637
27.
A CYCLE
You ask I give
You ask I give
You ask I give
Between you and me
asking and giving .
2010825747
28.
BIRTH TO DEATH
Birth to death,
A space like a point
In the expanse of Eternity.
One enters with birth
From dark deeps;
Goes again into the dark deeps
With death.
Life, between two doors,
A beautiful flower
Like a lotus in a lake vast;
Fragrance and hue blend
To present a pointillism
Outside this dark deep
Wherein shines the ONE
Brighter than the Sun.
29.
DARKNESS AND LIGHT
Darkness and Light –
Two spaces
Wherein we live.
Darkness –
Wider one
Wherefrom we come
To play our part on this stage;
Where we go
After the game is over.
Light –
The zone
Where we crave,
Love and lust,
Weep and laugh.
It’s Time
To lit fire for light,
To brighten darkness
Where we fear to tread.
That always hangs heavy
On consciousness.
Let the fear be left behind,
March into the Darkness
With Light dispelling
The demon of Darkness;
Our gaze fixed
At the serene, scintillating
All embracing Light.
2020619487
30.
LEAF
I am a leaf:
Budded forth,
Grew,
Shimmered,
Swayed in the hay day,
Yellowed,
Wilted,
Dropped.
Trampled.
Burnt in hearth.
Ashes,
Wait for the wind
To be one
With my other BEING.
211207
31.
A WISH FOR A
POEM
A wish for a poem
From
Where I stand now
About the colours,
The colours of the Sun
From the lap of Aurora.
The sun didn’t rise as usual.
The sky
Instead of light grey,
A thick grey,
Feigning black.
Chilly wind blows
From the Dhauladhar.
Birds out of nests
On daily errands.
Night-quiet step by step
Turns into life’s ado.
Dark to light
Life moves
Through amorous valleys,
Ditches of hate,
Searching His bliss!
0120720917
32.
FULL MOON
A hungry child
saw full moon
in the sky,
crying asked
mother:
That is Roti!
fetch it,
please!
Mother knows –
Winter’s full
moon
can’t satiate
belly’s fire,
neither can it
stop
the shivering
cold.
She knows –
The night has to
be lived
in this
shivering cold;
empty stomach.
She knows –
this moon is a
mirage
of Roti,
of sun-shine;
she knows
the truth.
2002145718
33.
ICE-FLOWERS
[Two TRIOLETS]
How beautiful the ice-flowers!
Shine like gems in flower-beds,
Those pink and white – beauty
towers.
How beautiful the ice-flowers!
Dear to blossom lovers
Those pink and white – beauty
towers.*
201738
34 A BUTTERFLY
Dark clouds
above the mountain high
On the mount’s
head shines sheeny snow
The Sun slowly
slides down the sky.
Dark clouds
above the mountain high
Like the hawks,
dark and fast they fly
Silently swims a
butterfly.
Dark clouds
above the mountain high
The Sun slowly
slides down the sky.
201738
35.
WARM SUN OF
SOOTHING SUMMER
(A Kyrielle)
In the warm sun of soothing summer
After the chilly
wind of winter
A bee begins to
hum its beat
Spun on the
wheel of music sweet.
My eyes wander
far beyond
In search of
cozy wind and sound
Over the hills,
over the deep
Churned on the
wheel of music sweet.
The hungry saw
munches the wood.
How I wish to
stop, if I could!
Flows this hour
with eerie heat
Satiated on the
wheel of music sweet.
Flowers laugh
bright at my ennui
The joy is let
out high of heart my
Sweet soul
wishes to drown in this treat
Won on the wheel
of music sweet.
2011330638
36. CAT AND DOVE
A dove came down
from its perch
to peck at seeds
scattered on the
ground.
A cunning cat,
sly as it is,
saw it pecking
unaware of the
marauder around.
It pounced with
shocking speed,
caught the dove
in jaws
which fluttered
wings in vain.
With the wink of
an eye
the harmless
dove was done to death,
happy the wily
cat.
Hunger satiated,
licked the lips
and whiskers,
vanished into
the bushes.*
2011515648
37. Two Kyrielles
in honour of
KRISHNA SRINIVAS
I
He was born on
this land
To welcome the
world with warm hand
Warm hand of
friendship he extended
With childlike
innocence, un-pretended.
In the East he
blazed the fire
Of poetry and
beyond the Tyre
Sailed around,
joy un-ended
With childlike
innocence un-pretended.
He crossed the countries,
scaled heights
In search of
serene Hyperion delights
In world’s
religions, lands well complimented
With childlike
innocence un-pretended.
Around the world
he sailed,
Religions, seers
of world he hailed.
Crossed the
spatial spheres scented
With childlike
innocence un-pretended.
2011535648
II
Gone is the
seer, gone is he
Gone into the
rock’s lea
Gone to blaze
the flame there
The peers with
open heart welcome where.
Went he on his
last voyage
Having kindled
the hearts of his Age;
All of his poetic
clan did stare
The peers with
open heart welcome where.
He left behind
the world forlorn
To wonder at his
life so soon shorn;
In his life soft
souls he did care
The peers with
open heart welcome where.
The world is
left to bewail
His laurels with
moist eyes to hail.
Ah! Gone is he,
gone beyond the blare
The peers with
open heart welcome where.
2011535648
38. DEATH-II
Invigorates life
with an urge to
excel.
Rids life
of sorrows and
sufferings.
Boon to the
denizens of Earth,
earnestly crave
the natives of Heaven.
Boon for which
Tithonus craved
without any avail.
Guide, beloved,
boon, best friend -
All in one.
Death is best of
all
Redeemer of
mundane misery and torment.
2000635937
39. CHASE
Full of sun
I longed
For shower.
Shower duped
For long.
When it did,
The sun had
Set in search
Of new sun.
Sun and shower
In chase since
Eternity.
1000753921
40
THE LIGHTHOUSE
What do you think?
Who do you deceive?
The synthetics,
even plastics and perfumes
won’t stand by you.
Accountant ever
Vigilant; book errorless.
He keeps an eye
on works and days.
His men ever ready
to carry out the command,
already on their errand
they enroute…
The sun has marched
horizon to horizon,
crimson to crimson.
Let your eye be on the Light-
House to cross the sea safely.
41. LET US – THE PEOPLE
Let us, the people,
join hands and be one
against our oppressors and
exploiters.
They call us their strength,
the power lies in their hands,
they call themselves humble
servants of the masses,
they force us to bow to them.
Their joy soars to the seventh
sky
seeing us genuflect before them.
Their weight and girth increase
like the waxing moon;
our blood diminishes like the
waning moon.
We pay the taxes
perks they enjoy just by raising
hands,
whenever it is our turn,
committees are formed,
commissions constituted for the dole
by the time that auspicious time
comes
for the dole to be doled out
the very purpose seems defeated.
We work day and night
with full circle of the Earth
round the Sun,
circle after circle,
the harvest they reap;
the trees we plant, the fruit
they eat;
the fruits we pluck, the juice
they drink:
their cheeks redden, our cheeks
wane;
their princes enjoy the cake and
ale, our lazaruses crave.
We are the ones who build
palaces,
for resting our head we have no
ground;
soft and silky clothes bedeck
their bodies,
we cry for linen to shroud or
bones.
We are the strength,
we are the means
of our land’s sky-high ideals and
accomplishments;
these they claim as their
achievements.
Shoed are we away
even when we dare to have a
glance of our finished work;
they say the money’s their
we have no right to claim
even the sweat and blood we shed.
Even today, in this third
millennium
of known human history
we have to plod and sweat, starve
and shiver
without any reward for our sweat
and blood.
Horrendous! Horrendous!
Let’s, the people, be one
and join hands
against all the oppressions and
exploitations,
against all the kings and queens,
against all Temurs and Czars,
against all Hitlers and Napoleons
for our bread and butter.
Let us, let us, let us
join hands to show our might.
203040068
41. SAFE HARBOUR
What those boats
emerging from the horizon;
where are they bound for?
What those hands
signaling in semaphore
above the mountain?
What mermaids
sing by what beauteous isles;
what warriors go past them?
Hands signal
the boats to cross the isles
to the harbour safe.
2011019768
42. ETERNAL
FATE – A MYSTERY
Eternal fate
awaits all.
The eyes that once
could see beyond the hill,
beyond the waters
lie shut and smothered.
Who knows
the next moment?
What lies buried
in the womb
of future –
unraveling, unveiling –
a mystery.
2010930878
43. A
DIFFERENT TALE
Past acquaintances
rediscovered
after a decade
or a score or two of years
give heavenly bliss
and glitter of the first meet.
The hiatus of time
vanishes
like mist at noon.
Blood races through the veins,
Peeps through the faces.
Would that time had stilled!
Snow on head
furrows on face
tell a different tale.
2010945878
44. LIFE
– A RECIPE
Life is a recipe, a meet,
Let us savor it – sour or sweet.
Put it on the tongue of
experience,
Press it against the palate.
It will taste to our taste
We'll like it like the most loved
treat.
Nothing good, nothing bad,
Thinking makes it so.
Let us learn to laugh
In the prick of pin.
Find pleasure in our sorrow
Like the juice after the press.
Darkest night not without hope,
Bright day to guard up loins to
cope.
***