THE FLUTE
(OR MURALI)
When
Thou broke this piece
Away
from its mother bush
Oh, how
it hurt my Lord !
And how
the bamboo cursed
When it
Thy knife pierced
And
left gaping wounds !
But Thy
lips touched it,
Thy
sweet breath filled it,
It
found itself a flute
And
ever since then
It
never ceased to sing.
*** ***
But why
folk and funny tunes
And not
the classic ones
Murali
could never find
Nor
does greatly mind
For, it
is Thy hands that hold
And Thy breath that flows.
MISS
INFINITY OR THE CHAT SHOW GIRL
Dearest !
What
else to call you as ?
Sister ?
Daughter ?
My Girl ? My Baby pearl ?
My A ? My B ? My him
? My her ?
My
molten golden mountain girl ?
My
bright-eyed, beaming, blue-seas boy ?
Infinity ?
One-in-all ? All-in-one ?
...
... ...
Oh !
None says it all.
Dearest
comes nearest.
Dearest,
my all-in-all,
My own,
My self !
What do
I want ?
Just
fun with you !
Just
want to chat with you.
More
perhaps to listen to your chatting with me,
In every one, in every thing.
In A,
In P, In S, in Z,
In this
boy, in that girl,
In this god-brother, that dog-friend.
I
listen to you in all
And
drink in the joy of
That
Golden Girl's
Early
morning Chat Show
in presence of
Alwal Sanjeev.
WORDS,
WORDS, WORDS !
Words,
words, words !
Words
given birth by me
Words
nurtured in my womb
Words
nourished at my breasts
My bouncy, beautiful, baby-girls, all.
... ... ... ...
They
are not always bouncy
Nor are their beauty for ever
This is
my grief
One
exhilarates now
Yet she
exasperates the next moment
She
fills me with strength and surety now
Yet
again,
She
drains me by dullness and doubts.
My womb
is full of girls unborn.
I am in
a dilemma.
I
despair of giving birth to them.
But I
want them madly.
I have
to take them as they come.
Ill or well formed.
I
cannot stop
Fragility
is my first name
Vulnerability
is my vocation.
... ... ...
An
experience, a moment,
A human, Me. She, He,
Stamp
of Infinity on them all,
Innocence,
merry mischief, joy,
Writ in
Gold on the wrapper
But
words, words, words
They
are all clothed by words
There
is not a single good eye on earth
Everyone
has goggles, inside or out
None
can see in the brilliance of the wordless
splendour
They
dare not, they cannot let go of words
They
clothe themselves
They
force others to dress up.
... ... ...
I ?
How do I do ?
I too
dare not.
I
delight to dress up
I dance
in different costumes
To the
mirror, to girls of my gang
It is
all a green room affair.
I don't
face strangers
But the
green room expands
Strangers
start to string into my shining set
Then I
revel and reveal myself
But
still clothed by words
Fine words, expressive words, sometimes.
But
still words, after all.
Coarse,
crude, dull, drab dresses
Or
silken, smooth, shining, colourful,
Filmy,
fine textured clothes,
Wondergirl
Veronica's Vanderwhat wears
But
they too don't reveal all
They
dim, they diffuse the light within.
They
too clothe and cover, after all.
... ... ... ...
Words,
words, words,
They
are my despair, they are my delight
They
drain me dry, they drive me on
I grope
in darkness, I look in light
For the
wordless word,
For my
the Princess' and
My Empress' real new clothes.
>
THE
DEADLY MAUSOLEUM
(or Brahma Mithya Jagad Satyam)
It was
a hundred and eight years ago
That he
died, my Supreme Grand Father.
But he
was a freak
He was
a show-piece, case
Special
doctors descended on him
One
said, `it is a heart death,
Body's
hot, current' flow's on'
But it
didn't last
Body
was burnt to dust
But the
specialists didn't give up
They said,`it's a body death,
But he
lives'
They
conferred, they debated,
Then
they presented
A
dressed up decorated vegetable
They
prescribed a set of motions
For us
to pretend before him
They
told us some psycho tips
That
will bring back the dull drab
vegetable
To some
sort of life.
We are
at it still.
You
must admire our stubbornness.
We
carry on the daily drill
In this
stupid mausoleum
It
doesn't have a corpse even,
But
some miscast metals, ill shaped stones,
And
some silly shadows
That
has some pathetic maudlin links
With
that whipped up dead corpse.
Pity
us, pity us, we are at this game
A
thousand of us have left
All our
valuable works
To play
this morbid game
Thousand
thousands more
Give
vital parts of our lives
For this shadow-play.
I
cannot let go now.
I am
hooked, I am done with,
There
is fatal charm
In this
diabolical dead man
Not him, his dead body's shadow does that.
Imagination
soars, dreams throw up, joy abounds.
Devil
perhaps knows how it happens,
How a
long dead repulsive
Half-naked,
rustic, unkempt, stale vegetable
Drags
us all, bright and beautiful
To his place, the doomsworld.
Holy Hyd'bad
ALL
REALS
(Or
Brahma Satyam Jagad Satyam)
It is
not yet.
Or is it ?
I don't
know what is `it'.
I don't
know if there is `yet'.
Not
that I don't know.
I know,
but oh, I don't know
It is
all so very clear
No
puzzle, no despair
... ...
...
... ... ...
Now I
shall do a `Real Imagination' act.
It's
all true, It's all love,
It's
all life, It's all real
It's
all here, now.
... ... ...
... ... ...
In the
dim shadowy horizon
I seem
to see some shadow shapes
Hear
some shadow voices
Feel
some shadow shadows
... ... ...
... ...
The ink
has dried
The
seeming eternal moment seems past
I have
to quit now
I have
to give an imaginary interval
I am
back to play acting
But
this real image keeps shining
While
what seems to be a newfound me
Goes
about playacting
It's
curtains for now
Hyd.
Tea Table
(Srinivas
present at times)
THE PLAY
Our
beloved Brother Joy
Sounds
his sweet call
His
boisterous brother
The
gusty fire-eater
Is the
first to answer
And
soon more gather
The
busy blame their luck
And go
on with their work
The
merry little band
March
to the grounds
Joy and
his brother
Array
teams together
The
play gets around
Fun and
joy abound
... ... ...
Aye,
play, brothers, play
But
remember all the way
It is
all but a play
Play
the play for play
Play
the play as play
Play
the play for Joy
Play
the play in joy
If you
play for play
Brother
Joy will stay
You
play not for play
Joy
will shy away
And his
fierce brother
Will
blast you in to smither
Direct context: Training Centre Volley Ball
play
Br.Bijoy
(Brother Joy) and
Br.Arvind(fire-eater)
Among suggested context :
Gokula-Vrindavan
Sri Krishna & Balarama
Life
Lovable Chosen God(deity),
& the Just God,
etc.
Laws
Are For Violating
Laws,
rules and routine ?
Yes,
laws are for violating
Rules
indeed to break
And routine to keep breaking.
Break
indeed thou must
But
break the best way
With
thunder roars and lightning
Bomb's
sure for bursting
But it
strikes the mammoth walls
And
breaks indeed to pieces
But
sets the fort ablaze
And
causes columns crashing
Should
the cannon ball
Break
at gun's mouth
With it
breaks to pieces
The
gunner and the gun
Occurred suddenly in the beginning of
even meditation at
the T.C. terrace
Saplings
Thou growest tender plants
In the
garden of thy heart
Ah,
Guard thy garden well,
Lest
the poison weed
Of
awful apathy
Raise it's hideous head
And
choke thy tender saplings
To a
slow, starving death
Pity
the suffering, dear,
Be it
of body or mind
Wretched
are the sufferers
Be it
their own making
Pain is
pain, brother,
Though,
it perhaps be,
Thine
own dear hands
That
struck and wounded
In the
dense darkness
... And The Locust Egg
And
need I speak, brother
Of the
deadly pest of malice ?
A
single egg, thou nurturest
Breeds
swarms and swarms
Of giant deadly locusts.
Drop it ! Drop the egg
As thou
wouldst a viper
That
thou perchance picked up.
Saplings :
Sick Sisir gave a packet of
toffee. Commented to Ajay sick are sick though the
illness be their making. T.C.Ist
year,24.11.85.
Egg :
25.11.1985,
The
Seventh Pot of Gold
When
this bitter pain
Struck
my poor heart
I could
never tell
But
once I suddenly found that
It has
been with me,
This
vacuum in the heart
Unfailing
as my shadow
Now less, now more.
Like a
turbid river
Which with arms outstretched
Plunge
in warm embrace
And
merges with the ocean
I
longed to lose myself
And
bury in the bosom
Of my
heart's love
Whose name I never knew.
It was
long ago
(Must've
been a fine morning)
That
God came unto me.
'Twas Love recognised at first
sight
(So I
gather the affair to be)
Like a
happy child
Content
at mother's breasts
I drank
with full joy
The
milk of God love
It
filled my heart, sure
But,
alas, not that corner !
For
long I knew it not
So full
of joy I was
But
doubt seized my heart
When,
somehow, a day, I saw it
Though
soon, I turned to God
A fear
remained in heart
Though,
joyful still, I was,
`Twas never the same again.
Then I
fell in love with
Humans,
the other God
Sure,
the heart was filled
But,
oh, not that corner !
I tried
to give up God
That I
may adore humans
It gave
me sore pain
I tried
to let go humans
And cling
to God fast
Agony,
that too was
And
neither fills the corner
Alone,
nor both together
A
wretched corner it is
A
deadly cancer spot
Foreboding
great evil
It
troubles me sore, my friend,
This
seventh pot of gold
That
ever stays unfilled
I am
weary my soul
A way,
thou must find
My
constant companion
Thou
art my only hope
Answer :
My dear
troubled child !
You go
the wrong way,
That
sure causes grief
When
you fell in love
You
longed for the caress
In your
want to fill
You
sought to be filled
When
you rushed to embrace
The
warmth was what you craved
In your
wish to give
You
cloaked your need to take
Ah,
there is no give and take
The law
is give and give
(If you
perchance take
Take
that with freedom
Link it
not with `give')
You
seek an answer
For all
your afflictions ?
Remember
ever and ever
Cause
and effect is never
Cause
is one, effect 'nother
Never
link one with the'ther.
If you
remember this
Your heart'll fill with bliss
Nay, If you remember this
Your
heart mayn't fill with bliss
For,
there is no cause and effect.
Ah, my
poor child, dear,
I've no
way, I fear
But
this I'd say ever
Cause
and effect's never
Poet or
Commoner ?
Am I a poet ?
Or am I
a commoner ?
A moon-watcher ?
Or an
earth walker ?
I am
both, I am both,
I am
two-in-one.
At
times the moon-watcher
Starts
to snowy heights
And
rides fleecy clouds
The
earth-walker calls him back
At
times the moon-watcher
Is lost
in dizzy heights
And
terror strikes him dumb
The
earth-walker helps him down
At
times the earth-walker
Weary
in damp marshes
Is
caught in quicksands
The
moon-watcher pulls him up.
The
earth-walker checks the moon-watcher
The
moon-watcher raises the earth-walker
And a
day will come
When
the earth-walker's head touches the moon
And the
moon-walker's feet walk the earth
And
they are one.
4.12.1985,Sanskrit
Class,
I CRY A
TEARLESS CRY
I
longed for solitude
That I
may cry my heart out
And
wash my woes away
I
waited and waited long
But,
alas, when alone
My
tears had dried unshed
So, I
cry a tearless cry
I
longed for a soul-mate
That I
may talk my heart out
And
ease my taut nerves
I
waited and waited long
But,
alas, when he came
The
words had died unsaid
So
sorrow a sorrow dumb
Thought out the lines when
taking
lunch
A
Diamond Is Born
Art
thou weary my soul ?
With
cares weighing thee down
And
heat that oppress sore ?
Ah !
Take heart, tell thyself
Thou
hast a mother.
The
weight that thou feelest,
The
heaviness of her embrace
The
heat but its warmth
In earth's warm bosom
Lies a
lump of coal
And lo,
a diamond's born !
Grieve
thou not, my soul
Thy
mother gathers thee
Into
her loving folds
Nestle
thou in her warmth
Stir
thou not my soul
Rest
thou in peace sweet
And
then thou shall wake up
A jewel
on her heart
*** *** ***
Fear
thou not my soul,
Sure,
darkness is afore
But
lift up thy eyes
And
thou shall see the light
That
shines beyond the darkness
The
light white and austere
(For,
Sarada is her name)
The
dark is but thy shadow
Thrown
by thy grossness
Ah, if
only thou wouldst shed !
But
never mind, if thou can't.
Turn
thee from thy shadow
And
behold the Mother within
Wouldn't
thou ? Ah, never mind,
She's
behind thee sure
And
draws thee to her close
A day
will come
When
thou wouldst wake up
And find
thy grossness gone
And
mother within and out.
16.3.1985; T.C. Ist year
Aftermath of the Hiranyaji's
decision
Doubt,
they say, 's the greatest sin
It
seems, it fills me to the brim
But I'm
sure, I've no fear
And not a drop of sorry tear
At
times I wish to cry with some
`Oh, God ! My God ! If there is God
Save my
soul, if I have a soul!'
The
next moment I hold my peace
I
softly tell my stricken soul,
`My
life mate, my dear brave soul !
Why
such a fuss you make ?
Why despond ? why despair ?
Why
have you forgotten yourself ?
To such
a pass why have you come to ?
You
were touched my God in your childhood !
You
doubt it ? Ah, then,
Can you
doubt
You
touched God in your childhood ?
You
cried for God,
And
have you not had something ?
Have
you not a great love for Mother ?
Haven't
you understood Mother is your own ?
You
desire to play `Let's pretend'?
So be
it. Be all these false.
Let an
accident there be,
That
cause you to forget all !
But
still, you have yourself !
I know
you, I love you.
I love
you with such a love
That
none except perhaps God
Is capable of.
You
strong heart, why despair ?
You
have God !
You can
do without air
But you
can't, without God.
If you
are piqued at God
There
are people
Have
adventure meeting people
Then there
is Death, Spirit
and the Transcendent
Your
heart is in all these, keep on,
Do all,
do all,
Truth
may be, must be, somewhere.
Nothing,
No effort is wasted
Though,
silly, you know,
You
instinctively, are aware,
Truth
is in everything.
Though
you pretend, you play
A game
of not knowing
Come
on, awake, arise
Be up
and doing
My dear brave soul.
First
two paras on 22.7.85
T.C. Ist year
Kept
the remaining as rough draft
until 26.5.1987 T.C.
2nd year
when the same was
taken as the
complete form after
a few
modifications.
A
Visitor at the
A
Visitor at the snowy heights
She
dances o'er the mountain range
At her
mere presence
There
blooms a freshness
That
fills the mountain air
As Her
feet kiss
The
soft stage of snow
Streams
burst to freedom
Their
fun and merriment
Echo
over ranges
Flanked
by mountain's daughters
Of many
songs and dances
She
dances Her way down
To the
foot-hills and the plains
A
visitor at the snowy heights
She
dwells in plains and foot-hills
As a
mother rests
In the
late morn
Infant
at her breasts,
And
gazing far beyond
The
notes of Her song
Play in
mother's heart
And its
sweet strains
Holds
her in thrall
At Her
tender touch
Breasts
bloom in fullness
And
their fragrance
Fills
the infant's heart
A little
girl in rags
Carries
on her hip
Her
little child brother
And
tries and tries to feed him
His
wildly roving eyes
Chance
upon her face
And
gazes open-mouthed
Beholding
Her dance
And the
sister slips the food in
And as
the ailing mother
Looks
at the daughter
She
fills her eyes
And
floods her heart
With
arms round the other
As two
merry boys
Swing
from a swing
The
cadence of Her song
Rise
and fall along
In
their happy hearts
With
sister in the front
A
brother rides a bike
On a
shady road
In a
silent valley
And
mountains loom afar
As the
brother listens
To the
sister's chatter
Through
her lips She slips
And
floods the silent vale
With
Her cooling freshness
And as
the brother drives on
She
stays in his silence
As boys
gather
By a
mountain pool
Into Her open arms
They
run and plunge themselves
And as
they have their food
She
fills it with Her flavour
At a
river bank
As a
lover waits
For her
heart's beloved
She
creeps near in stealth
And
stabs the girl at heart
She
draws the dagger out
The
girl writhes in pain
And as
the lovers meet
She
fills their hands and hearts
Oh !
In a thousand homes
She
dwells in the plains
Where
people meet
With
not a shred of cover
There She dances bright
*
* *
Sure,
they want Her mad
But
dare not see Her straight
They
shrink from Her light
Run
into a house
And
close the doors tight
And yet
in groups they gather
To rave
and revel in
The
rare rays of light
That find their way in
They
dare not see her straight
But
gaze in wonder at
The
sprinkling of Her light
Sparkling in the skies.
Dwelling
in darkness
They
behold a sudden flash
Of
blinding brilliance
Hushed
and awed, though,
A long
single moment,
Next
moment they shriek
And
turn their eyes away
The
Maiden smiles to Herself
And
dims her brilliance
With
flowing robes and golds
The
eyes that turned away
Open to
the dimness
They
turn to look again
With
fear and longing great
In mute
wonder they see
A
paragon of beauty
Lustrous
in golds
Clothed
in shining silks
Hearts
eased and pleased
They
burst into songs
With
more golds and silks
They
deck Her with love
Ah,
little do they know,
That Her very presence
Adores Her ornaments
And
shines through the silks
While
the silks and golds
Twining
around Her
Bask in
stolen glory.
A
Visitor at the
A
Visitor at the snowy heights
She
dances o'er the mountain range
At her
nude presence
There
blooms a freshness
That
fills the mountain air
As Her
feet kiss
The
soft stage of snow
Streams
burst to freedom
Their
fun and merriment
Echoes
over ranges
Flanked
by mountain's daughters
Of many
songs and dances
She
dances her way down
To the
foot-hills and the plains
A
visitor at the snowy heights
She
dwells in plains and foot-hills
As a
mother rests
In the
late morn
Infant
at her breasts,
And
gazing far beyond
The
notes of Her song
Play in
mother's heart
And its
sweet strains
Holds
her in thrall
At Her
tender touch
Breast
bloom in fullness
And
their fragrance
Fills
the infant's heart
A
little girl in rags
Carries
on her hip
Her
little child brother
And
tries and tries to feed him
His
wildly roving eyes
Chance
upon her face
And
gazes open-mouthed
Beholding
Her dance
The
sister slips the food in
And as
the ailing mother
Looks
at the daughter
She
fills her eyes
And
floods her heart
With
arms round the other
As two
merry boys
Swing
from a swing
The
cadence of Her song
Rise
and fall along
In
their happy hearts
With
sister in the front
A
brother rides a bike
On a
shady road
In a
silent valley
And
mountains loom afar
As the
brother listens
To the
sister's chatter
Through
her lips She slips
And floods
the silent vale
With
Her cooling freshness
And as
the brother drives on
She
stays in his silence
H 69 816 816 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0HAs boys gather
By a
mountain pool
Into Her open arms
They
run and plunge themselves
And as
they have their food
She
fills it with Her flavour
At a
river bank
As a
lover waits
For her
heart's beloved
She
creeps near in stealth
And
stabs the girl at heart
She
draws the dagger out
The
girl writhes in pain
And as
the lovers meet
She
fills their hands and hearts
Oh !
In a thousand homes
She
dwells in the plains
Where
people meet
With
not a shred of cover
There She dances nude
*
* *
Sure,
they want Her mad
But
dare not see Her nude
They
shrink from Her light
Run
into a house
And
close the doors tight
And yet
in groups they gather
To rave
and revel in
The
rare rays of light
That find their way in
They
dare not see her straight
But
gaze in wonder at
The
sprinkling of Her light
Sparkling in the skies.
Dwelling
in darkness
They
behold a sudden flash
Of
blinding brilliance
Hushed
and awed, though,
A long
single moment,
Next
moment they shriek
And
turn their eyes away
The
Maiden smiles to Herself
And
dims her nakedness
With
flowing robes and golds
The
eyes that turned away
Open to
the dimness
They
turn to look again
With
fear and longing great
In mute
wonder they see
A
paragon of beauty
Lustrous
in golds
Clothed
in shining silks
Hearts
eased and pleased
They
burst into songs
With
more golds and silks
They
deck Her with love
Ah,
little do they know,
That Her nakedness
Adores Her ornaments
And
shines through the silks
While
the silks and golds
Twining
around Her
Bask in
stolen glory.
One
Life In A Ghostland
It was
a hundred and eight years ago
That he
did it, my young friend, my room-mate
It was
a great Houdini act
It was
a brilliant piece in his show
He
pretended to be born, to live,
To
suffer and to die
His
next acts are on
But
that one has so hooked us
That we
have changed his name
We call
him now by the name
He took
in that piece
Oh, he
is a merry mischievous mate
Spontaneity
is his name
There
is never a dull moment with him
Sometimes,
he teases me with mock terror
Or he
presents a pleasing wholesome joy
He is
so lively, death was teased away by him
He is
the star show man
In this
super-mart of joy
He has
many wonderful gift offers
He is
so sporting, throws such good bargains
with his gifts
But as
my brother said,
He is
the greatest ever gift
Oh !
Star of my soul,
My
soul-mate, my all, my self,
I
wouldn't do without you, my love.
He
seems to still
Such
serene and placid looks
That
lulls us to close our eyes in silence
But he
steals behind us
Arranges
our affairs into all sorts of knots
We
return in rage
Again
the smooth cool fellow
Disarms
us, charms us and lulls us
He dips
back into his bag of dirty tricks.
He
looks dirty, unkempt beard, and old
But I
am yet to see prettier
more fashionable
girls than
those who flock to
him.
He
looks withdrawn, eyes half closed
But
they come, expose all their
Secret
sorrows to him, the lazy tramp
Smart
boys, cute girls, cute boys, smart girls,
Society
men, women of all ages, of all types
Moneybags,
none-i'-bags, middle sorts,
They
all come to him
He
never seems to move, my rogue-friend
Yet he
pulls the crowd
'Nother wonder, he never pulls any
wonder,
The
lame limp back
The
blind return groping
The ill
might go worse
But
they are all hooked to him
They
all swear by him
He is
sure a wonder boy, this , my friend.
I can
never tell enough of my pal.
Almost
always, he never shows up
Leaving us only his shadows.
But I
see walking, shaking
Jerking, running. swinging, dancing corpses around
They
swarm the whole earth
It is
all a ghost land
Morbid,
sickening, dull, death-stamped
Only
sign of life I see,
In
these dumb at first sight
Photos
and statues
That is
the brightest thing in this
ghost land, this,
his shadow.
I seem
to have stumbled upon him
My
love, my mate, my self,
I won't
let go now
You
caught me or I caught you, I don't know
But I
find a sweet togetherness
We have
massaged each other enough
We have
chatted enough
Let us
slip into our place
The
sweet real dreamland
5.10 p.m.
THE
GREAT HORROR SHOW
(or Brahma Mithya Jagad Mithya)
I'll
tickle my self to a horror show
Remember
my dear self, you've to get dead scared
... ... ...
Where
is A ? Where is B ?
Where
is P, S and all of them ?
Where
are they who you thought loved you ?
They
have gone, they have ditched you
You are
dead to them
Cry,
cry, you soaked sponge
There
is none, not a wet nurse even.
No, I
am not scared
The
tears just stopped from falling
I am
the spring of love
I give
and take with freedom
Largely,
I give, give, give and give
I am an
aristocrat, not an upstart
My
riches has no beginning, will never end
There
are always A's, B's, P's and all
Love
comes back, that is the law.
I take
it their grace, a bonus
You
can't scare me
Ha, ha,
ha ! There is none anymore
All are
gone
Trees,
hills, warm humans with all their wares
All
melt into the misty horizon
You
stumble along alone
On the
desolate expanse of earth
No, I
stand erect on my own legs.
Ha, you
are a helpless baby !
Cry,
cry, little baby, cry !
For,
you can't do it long,
You
can't even turn now
You are
stuck down limp
Like a
stunned insect
That
waits with fear in agony
For
death that takes a long time coming.
You are
paralysed, stuck up,
You
can't see your toe,
No, not
even the tip of your nose
You
can't turn, You can't wink,
Nor
pull your eye-lids in.
Burn,
burn
Cruelly,
agonisingly, burn !
Are you
scared now ?
Yes, I
was.
I am, a
bit, even now.
I have
had a night mare
Heart's
beating fast still
Ah,
funny, I still speak the same way
Where
is heart ?
But you
got the idea.
I am in
a puzzle
But I
am still alive
The me,
which has been my mate for long,
Is
still with me
I am
not scared
Puzzled,
yes, but confident
There
is a catch somewhere
Nothing
is gone, every thing is there
I am
somehow in every thing
I am
somehow mixed up in all these
I will
sort it out
I am
not scared at all
I will
sort it out somehow.
Away,
go away, you old rogue,
whoever you are !
You
can't scare me
Dining Hall
Holy
THE
LITTLE PRINCE OF SERENDIP
Let me
tell you
Of the
Little Salt Prince
Who
went to meet
The
Goddess of the Sea
Have
you been to sea-shore?
Seen Her flashing pearly white
As She rides the high
Like a
thousand queens
On a
rocky ramp ?
Have
you heard Her joyous laughter,
Her
sweet lingering music ?
The
rhythm of Her dancing steps
On the
sprawling stretch of sands ?
Ever
wondered how She got it all ?
I guess
'Twas My Little Prince
Who
gave it all to Her.
I'll
try to tell you how.
He was
my serendipity.
No
wonder he was from Serendip, too.
His
laughter rings in me.
His
beauty shines 'fore me.
His
purity, his freshness
Pervades
me, fills me now.
Oh, How
shall I ever tell you of him ?
Heard
the words, God, Atman,
Avatar
- Incarnations,
Partial,
full, half, quarter,
Bits, pieces and fractions?
He is
an incarnation, no less.
But get
me right,
He is
not one of
The General Theory.
He is a
persons friendly type
That
comes in Special
Theory.
To
those who knew him not,
He was
one among many dead,
But to
the lucky
He is
what I said.
He was
called Ramakrishna.
Not the
Chief, The Old Long Beard,
This
one went before it could grow.
But the
name-sakes were fast friends.
In
truth He was
The boy's fervent first love.
He gave
himself with all his,
To Him,
his beloved Chief
His
arms stretched in front, toes pulled back,
Fullest
form ever
That
touched the temple floor,
Said it
all, as he lay
In
purest love and trust
His all at His feet.
He
bowed to His demands.
He bent
to His wilful ways.
The
poor, patient boy prince
Made
his dawn to dawn
By His
and His gang's
Every word and whisper.
Shame
to the Old Beard
Had He
not come to the boy
As he
clung on to the Waters
Stretching
his ends to the utmost
Sure,
with His thoughts !
Ah !
What were his thoughts, then ?
A
seeker of Beauty he was.
In
Sounds, in Motion
In shapes
and colours too perhaps,
In Works, in Thoughts, in All.
He was
a Prince Charming.
It
seems fit that he had
A pretty Persian lass
Swimming in his sight.
With her Malabar man.
A
befitting picture, I think
For his swan song.
But he
left her to their
Clumsy
childish plays
And floated far away.
A noble prince, musing, self-content.
My
girl, My sweet Princess,
Did you
come for him that day ?
You are
a sure stunner,
After
you stunned him,
Did you
pick him up ?
Or, did
he come straight to you,
After
that wave
To the
ones on this side ?
I know
what you did,
You
entered his heart, picked his song,
His light and his smile.
And
since then have been dancing
In all
the World's shores
On stolen silks and golds.
So that
was how
My dear
folks
The Sea
is what She is.
But
won't blame you though,
If you believe not my tale.
Ah, you
were not the lucky one,
But you
may stand by the shores
He must
show up some day.
*
* * *
*
Was it
like this too ?
He was
all along
A baby of the
He was called
after the Blue One, too.
You can
see him at dawn
By the
road besides the Blue,
A
charming tot, trotting along
The
little jolly monk
And
gazing in wonder
At the
twig in his mouth !
Ah, the
way too, bears his name !
Do you
hear his sing-song voice
Quivering
with a baby pitch ?
He
pounces on me
In matey mock fury.
To stop my mimicry.
Oh,
What Joy !
We
sang, we swam,
We
laughed, we teased, we sparred,
We sure
had fun, folks !
He was
the Son of the Sea.
He was
a lad now.
He was
all song and dance.
I hear
a beauty note, I tell him.
I see a
magic movement, I rush to him.
He is
the Gypsy Camper
Who
vanishes into the Blue
`Fore I
could tell him of
The silver screen soap.
The
Great Black Mother
Gathered
Her child back
Into Her Great Primeval Womb.
Ah, I too
am inside Her folds,
The
outer ones, though,
So I
hear his song,
The
living, ~ever, song of
My Sweet Little Salt Prince.
* * * *
~ preferred to eternal,
meaning the same.
The Wayside Bamboo
At a
river bank
By a road-side
Grew a
Bamboo bush
The
Canes had diverse holes
Pecked
by the fowl
And gnawed by insects, worms.
When
gentle blew the breeze
The
canes swayed with grace
And the
notes sweet, pleasant
When it
blew violent
Hideous
were the steps
And the
wails that froze breast
Diverse
were the uses
The
passing wayfarers
Made of
the bush
* *
* *
It was
a sunset time
When
down the road came
A
dusky, charming lad
His
face a trifle sad
As his
eyes beheld
The
bush, with joy he swelled
He
searched among the canes
Ah,
found it, a virgin
He took
it, carved holes
And
filled it up with
The
honey of his lips
Of the
nectarine notes
I
cannot tell you folks !
You may
hear it yourself
For,
across the river
He
plays his notes, ever
Silent,
down the river
Come and
you shall hear
The
sweet strains he wafts through
The low
wayside bamboo
T.C. I : some time on or before Sept. 1985.
Death
Amidst all the mourning kin
He stands alone with ghostly pale
Starring stunned with disbelief
At the mystery before him
A day before
With joyous hearts
They had bid
Farewell to him
And had gone
To enjoy their
Twentieth spring
Of togetherness
Did they wave
Goodbye to him
Or were they
Saying that
They will not
Return to him?
Was it them
Which returned
Or is it
The empty nest?
The old puzzle
Left him dumb
In the screen
Of his heart
Flashes past
Vivid scenes
Of happy days
In company
As the scenes
Change and change
A sudden thought
Chills his heart
A day before
They had been
A day hence
Nothing will be
An old fool’s
Lifeless words
Resonates
With life anew
As he asks
`All a dream?’
The priest juggles
With strange words
Machine-like
He complies with
All that is
Asked by priests
His infant hands
Had fed before
Tender food
To eager mouths
The hardened hand
Feeds now
Coarse rice
To forced mouths
The eyes that were
Flashing stars
Stares lifeless
At the sun
Two fire-pots
Come to him
Holding these
He goes ahead
Along the road
With bare chest
Can one know
Where he looks ?
The curious
Passers-by
Seem to be
Dead to him
They come to a
Stop now
The two lie on
Their last bed
Covered by
A professional
The fire pots
Becomes light
The fires start to burn without
The fire start to burn within
The fires now rage without
The fire now rages within
Ashes start to collect without
Ashes start to collect within
Cracking sound are heard without
Cracking sound are heard within
A big cracking sound is heard
`Shiva’ he cries and comes to life
He springs towards the piles of ash
Undaunted by the shouts of all
Before they all could contain him
He had grabbed two handfuls
Now his face shines with ash
All his cloth tears apart
`Poor boy’ they say of him
They all begin to call him mad.
Here is one more poem attached. It is in response to the
death of my close
friend's father in 1980.
For many days I imagined the bereavement to be my own and this resulted.
The final lines seem to picture the Sannyasa
ceremony. I did not know about it
then.
This is an instance of `Smashana Vairaghya’ (Cremation ground renunciation) turning to birth of real knowledge. Nothing like this happened with the boy whose father died. But these were the reactions in my mind.
1. Jai Ganesha !
Once in
heaven, Boy Ganesha
Scratched a
cat in play
Mother’s chamber, entered he
Was shocked
at the sight that lay
Thick with bloody scratches
Was his
mother’s fair face
`Who dared hurt thee, Mother ?’
Thundered he, enraged.
`Thine own hands has done that child!’
She said
with a sweet smile,
`For, it’s I indeed that dwell in
That cat,
in all earth’s life’.
Enlightened Ganesha saw
His mother
in every creature
That is why he remains to this day
Unwed, and wise in stature.
Pray we, for the full wisdom
That shines
in His elephantine face
May He hear with His big ears
Prayers in
all our case
May His exploring heavy trunks
Dig us out
of our troubles
May His stable pot belly
Digest all
our foibles
May He crush the troubles `fore us
And lead us
in the jungle path
To His, our Mother’s abode
That lies
within our heart !
Written on
Thanks to Thakur’s grace
& Hitakamanandaji’s hint.
2.
God Incarnated for Me !
Our
Lord, The Great God
Took a human birth
And
suffered with us all
Privations on Earth
It’s
all for one person, me !
Yea, me alone here !
He had
said so explicitly
In His Ramakrishna wear
Ah, gentle folks, may you well hear!
In the
temple, in the City
Played his nectarine sound
Folks
gathered ‘round in gaiety
As bees, a lotus abound
`Forget
not thine own, thy God!’
Preached He day and night
`Realize
thou within thy heart
The Godhead in all Its
might’
Had not
The Mother Divine
Set him at this task?
But
with body he was entwined
So had to play His part
Cancer
struck his throat hive*
His service had no respite
`Twenty
thousand such painful lives
I’ll live and die to raise
A
single soul to its divine heights’
Declared He tenderly
And I
am that soul by all my rights
I’ve realized humbly
In this
poem `Me’ can mean every reader i.e. any and every person not only the poet.
* hive is the place where honey is stored. Thakur’s
nectarine words are from his throat. So throat is called hive.
2.
For Me did God Incarnate !
Our own
Lord, The Great God took a human birth
And
suffered with us all privations on the Earth
It’s
all for one person, me !Yea, me alone here !
He had
said so explicitly in His Ramakrishna wear
In the
temple, in the City played his nectarine sound
Folks
gathered in gaiety as bees, a flower abound
`Forget
not thine own, thy God!’ preached He day and night
`See
thou within thy heart Godhead in all Its might’
Had not
The Mother Divine set him at this task?
But
with body he was entwined, had to play His part
Cancer
struck his throat hive* His service no respite
`Thousand
scores such painful lives I’ll live and die to raise
A
single soul to its divine heights’ declared He tenderly
And I
am that soul by all rights I’ve realized humbly
In this
poem `Me’ can mean every reader i.e. any and every person not only the poet.
* hive is the place where honey is stored. Thakur’s
nectarine words are from his throat. So throat is called hive.
This is a `sonnet’ with twelve syllables in each line and the rhyme pattern being aa,bb,cc,dd,ee,ff, & gg with mid sentence rhyme in each pair of lines.
3. Nangta,
the Naked One
Nangta,
the Naked one
Stirred
the fire afresh
As he
discoursed to his disciple on
The
evanescence of the earth
`Brahman
alone is true’ he said
`All
else is phantom mere’
He said
as only a strong Punjabi could
His
body yet to suffer here
Awesome
sight by
Besides
the blazing flames
Serpentlike matted locks he wore
Dreading
no forms and names
A petty
servant idled by
Stole a
burning cinder
To
light his tobacco pipe
The
monk bellowed like thunder
The
gentle disciple watched bemused
Lips
parted in a smile
Nangta
asked when talk resumed,
`Hideth thou what guile’ ?
`A
moment Thou speaketh, master great
Of
Brahman the Real One
In a
trice thou fly in rage
Making
a poor man run’
Stunned,
the Great man stood quiet
A halo
round his head
`Anger,
I give up this instant’
No
words truer said.
10.5.2002
(Direct into the computer)
4. A little naïve lad
A
little naïve lad
Was
begging in the streets
A most pretty young lass
He
chanced indeed to meet
Her
breasts were full rising
A sight
he never met
Why on
chest such swelling
He
asked in all naiveté
The
girl rushed in blushing
Told
her aged mother
The
lady said explaining
She’ll
soon be mother
So God
is sending in lay
To feed
her baby
The lad
walked all his way
Musing
on God’s hobby
If God
be so good
To a
baby yet unborn
Need I
go to beg food
He’ll
sure send it warm
Thence
on he quit brooding
On
affairs of this world
And set
his sights looking
For Him
his very soul
Such
and other stories
Did
Ramakrishna tell
To
narrate all his glories
With
His grace I will
7.5.2002
1. Life – Two ways out
The
walker walks the way
Gobbling
up all that lay
Soon,
the eaten eat the eater
Life
welts on the heater
Why at
all this sojourn
The
query he cannot adjourn
Wise
folks have two ways out
Straight
and one round about
Quit
grabbing. In a trice
You are
free. Shed weights, you’ll rise
A royal
way but high price
Are
trudge along but take care
Choose
the good, bad beware
And
work and yet beat the scare
7.5.2002
2. Puny Man’s Anger or Big
is Beautiful
Puny man’s anger.
The
tiny top bursts, the little ego spurts and subsides
in a silly
satisfaction that is but meagre.
Strong man’s rage.
Well
bound like a giant dam, roaring waters in check,
he is verily a
sage.
One, a
drop of water
That hiss
and sizzle but dries up no matter’
The
flood gallop away
Into a maze of canals, helping all every way.
Let the
drop not dry away.
Many a
drop makes a flood and then it’ll have its way
Ah, Big
is beautiful!
Think big,
act big, for you are infinite, ever full.
Oh,
Large is lovely !
Be of
big heart, generous, then little worries
Will perch on you but
lightly.
7.5.2002
3. Thoughts under a stuffy shirt
I am
stuffy under my shirt
Why ?
I w’s lazy to have my bath, that is
why.
And
that’s why I have deaths and births.
Umpteen
number of times have I
Given
up laziness
It has
brought me great troubles, nevertheless
How
fond of it am I !
La Totapuri
I had
left laziness and other ills
How
many times, I cannot tell
But
again made merry
Is
there a way out?
Abhyasa
Yoga ! Repeat practice
After
thousand falls may come a rise
Vivekananda’s voice ring out
So,
here, yet again, I
Deign
to drop sloth and such sins
Windows
cat at me winks
Prove
her wrong, will I.
Now she
laughs uproariously
Yet the
same, say I
I am Tota’s lineage, that is why.
Sure a
spark has come down genetically.
I’ve
clicked the cat out of sight
Now to
have my bath
Like a
dusty elephant to stables after bath
I ride
into the night.
Night,
(Direct
into the computer)
5. The Holy Man and the Snake
A
sonnet sequence
In a
cozy hole lived a deadly snake
Folks
living by did verily dread the site
A
wandering monk came there one dark night
Good
People warned him, Sir, risk thou not take
The
monk said I’ve mantra to tame all creatures
The
angry snake was charmed by a gentle word
Soon it
quit hurting took to fruits as food
Let go
its spite, gentle turned its features
Boys
thereby noticed this phenomena
A
daring naughty boy poked it with stick
The gentle snake
just coiled itself thick
Guru’s word minding, forgave their lacuna
Losing all dread they pelted it with stones
Left it for dead, it limped back to it’s
hole
The holy man chanced back there one morning
Asked people there `bout his disciple the snake
“`tis dead Sir” they said, their words
he didn’t take
Called with a word, the snake knew the meaning
Out came the snake, lean and haggard looking
Shocked the man asked, `why are thou in such state
Eating leaves, fruits I’ve thinned at this rate
Only that oh, yea, boys hurt me poking
`Oh, my poor, poor fool, indeed thou shouldns’t
kill
But thou can hiss and drive off the wicked
Put not venom, but hiss indeed thou should
That’s the way to be good and survive still
Such a charming tale did Ramkrishna tell
To teach worldly folks to live but be good still
6. The Disciple and
the mad elephant
Once in
With his disciples there lived a wise sage
He taught the highest truth that to always
Keep in mind that God sports in many ways
`It’s God only that takes up many shapes
Beasts, plants, humans and as all that exist’
A disciple walking in deep woods gaped
In wonder at God’s forms he was amidst
An uproar broke out there in the deep woods
Trees wrenched by roots and a mighty trumpet
A warning voice rang out, `Fast as you could
Run,Run, Run away, mad tusker’s about’
`Thou my God’ the boy sang before the beast
Was thrown, bones broken, his God
cared the least.
The hurt boy lay, more
at heart than body
Was sore that elephant
God had failed him
I saw God in all but
He had his whims
And had hurt me much,
ah, God is naughty
His good brothers
carried him home lightly.
`Why didn’t thou run ?’, the wise Guru asked
`I stood praising him, thou said all is God,
He didn’t play his
part, hurt me mightily’
The good teacher
laughed, `the tusker’s indeed God
So was the warning
mahout you should know.
His warning too was
God’s very own show’
As knowledge flashed
the boy did slowly nod
So long thou feelest pain, heed the mahout
He merges as knowledge
dawns, with the behemoth
7. ………… and then later
Once this disciple
went about the streets
Saw a fat landlord
kicking up his keep
Heart shed tears as he
saw the boy weep
He intervened and
stopped the heavy beats
Rage frustrated, the landlord
rained his fists
On our holy boy, he
fell down senseless
Brothers and teacher
heard the news, and themselves
Brought him gently
home, laid in bed to rest
One sprinkled water
and he came around
‘Nother
fed him milk and asked him `Do thou
Recognize him who feedest milk to thou ?’
Hear his words with
halo shining round
He, the Great God, who
beat me indeed sits
Lovingly with concern
with milk me feeds
12.5.2002
Direct into the computer
8.
Frog with a dollar
Small men mock at divine
incarnations
Think themselves
smart, stoke their little passions
With great glee sit and gloat
around a puddle
While God’s ocean is right in their
middle
Once in a wood lived a big ugly
frog
Found a shining dollar on a great
rock
Grabbed it in delight, guarded
carefully
Thought a world of it proud as frog
could be
A great tusker passed over it’s puny hole
The enraged frog with great anger
did call
The elephant names, raised it’s leg to kick
The bemused great beast walked into
the thick
May the ocean tide flood our lowly holes
And draw us frogs into its treasure
laden whole
13.5.2002
Direct into the computer
4. Poems vs Works
A
few words well drafted
A
poem or prose well adapted
A
well earned pleasure in heart
A
task well done, good parts
A
strenuous task well done
A
great joy on completion
A
poem in space and time
Reaity
it’s name
Poem
done I’ve a task at hand
To
write cycling the land
All
this my mind says
The
heart with formal verse stays
Ah,
I sigh at the great ones
Who
radiated poems in all their actions
14.5.2002
Direct into the computer
CLARIHEWS
1.
Swami Hitakamananda
Swami Hitakamananda
Is
certainly not an anaconda
But he
retrieves the ball in a flash like one
Though
his service is a bit easily broken
2.
Chidambara Chaitanya
Br. Chidambara Chaitanya
Is a
man of many parts, yea
But
raise your voice a notch higher
That’s
enough to rattle his calm exterior
3. Sampurnananda
Sampurnananda
Walks
on the verandah
Looking
for a prey to pounce upon with poetry
All
flee him, poor him, goes hungry
Limericks
1.
Brother Sendhil
Our
beloved brother Sendhil
Does
verily loath to stand still
Between hostel and C.O.
Runs along a path `O’
But poor him, work done is but nil.
2.
Brother Chandrasekhar
Chandrasekhar,
our dear brother
Computers,
for him no bother
But he has his moods
Loves nice tasty foods
Humour
him, you won’t find like him `nother
3. Swami Sutapananda
Dare
you call him an island chilly
He’ll
hot up in a rage willy-nilly
Sutap’s is a
dear pet
In him work at its best
Hope
life’s flow’ll round him off fully
4. Swami Garishtananda
Cling, tring, ring, says, `hello’, C.O.
Least
talk, sealed lips, Garishta ‘s on flow
Has he grown a tiny horn
With big affairs going on
?
May he
retain a simple monk’s glow !
5.
Br. Ramesh G.
Ramesh
G. ‘s serving food and coffee
To all
their share, as instructed, strictly
Need you some pickles
His brow would grow wrinkles
A good
soldier indeed, yours obediently
9. Three Fishes
Fishes are of
three sorts
One goes
nowhere near fisher’s nets
Swims the seas
merrily
Monarchs verily
‘nother sort gets caught
But like
lightning jumps off
`There goes a
big one’ say folks
Not bad these,
in a trice wakes
But a third
sort, a lousy one
Caught, it
buries itself down
Dreaming itself to be safe and able
Ends up on
gentlemen’s table
If we can’t
contrive to be ever-free
Let’s at least
be alert and jump off into our sea.
15.5.2002
5. Two-in-one-in-two or My Twin Souls
Sarada, O Mother of
our Order
Sri Ramakrishna, our Sangha Guru
I bow down to thee
seated together
Within my heart thou
hast penetrated through
You gave me wits to
ask a boon that thou may
Reign over me seated
within my heart
If my deeds since are
bad, don’t mind, please stay
Give me wits again to
play well my part
O Sarada, seated in Thakur’s heart
Why do thou not show
thy blessed face again ?
O Thakur, by thy
censure thou did thwart
My downward slide,
sight of thou may I gain !
Thou my twin soul,
two-in-one, one-in-two
Why wait till death, show
thyself when alive too !
17 May 2002
Direct into the
computer
Haikus (?)
1. Potted plants
Bound by four walls
Struggling roots
2. The mighty forest tree perhaps
Pities the humans
As puny rootless beings
Till a gang arrives
With a power-saw
Or
Tree pities humans
As puny rootless beings
Till it sees a power-saw
3. As many dishes
So many
Diseases
Br.Rameshwara chaitanya
At dining hall on
4. Man on death bed
Watches by the window
leech crawling from leaf to leaf
5. Man holds on to a pillar
Cries `let me go’
God laughs
6. Roll the sky like leather, perhaps thou
can.
Holding on to thy bonds, to be free thou
can’t.
Stockholm syndrome all around.
7.
Buddha watches
A great fish swimming in the vast sea
Says, `hello’
8.
Drunkards dance
Thakur reels
`A’ greets `Z’ under an azure sky
18.5.2002 ;
9.
The gentle dog
naps
Mating, eating, duties done
It dreams – What ?
10. Man mutters looking at his dog
`Poor mutt,
thinks of only bitches and bones’
Dog gazes at his top dog
With like thoughts
God watches the scene amused.
11.
Dustling flies proudly
Till a dull cranny
Swallows it entirely
12. Seed with stuff
Strives as it sprouts
In time the strong wall splits
6. Orator and the young lady
A young lady devotedly
Went repeatedly
To an orator’s rally.
Mightily touched, he
Asked the lady
`What you see in me ?’
`Sir’, replied she,
`I had a goat billy,
Which I loved dearly.
Thy beard a nice goatee
Much reminds me
Of my beloved billy’
Such goats are we
In the eyes loving many.
18.5.2002;
13.
Races A,B,C
On a new slate furiously
A wizened child merry
14. Amidst
mantras chant
I sight and write a haiku
A flaw in the whole ?
15.
At Daily
Mirror
I look, read and see picture
Graft, good and terror
16.
I outside
Fishes within
Cage within a cage
17.
Many selves,
sorry
In di vi du a li ty ?
One Self is merry
18.
I saw a fine
haiku
‘fore I could tie
it to paper
It fled in fear
19.
A Poem‘s good
in itself
Explanations murder it
Putrid corpse drives all
20.
A poem `s joy
in itself
Some explanation enhances it
It `s pleasure on rereading
21.
Cut flowers, a
pity
Flowers full on a tree
A boquet to
Infinity
20.5.2002; Direct into computer
22. I’ve more dolls than you
I am virtuous, you are sinful
I and you are in One
22.
Your doll I
envy
Your virtue `s feigned, you rogue
In thee I submit
23.
Screeches,
barks, talks, songs
Punching the great pause
To lapse back to silence
24.
I talk, I am
hit
I don’t, I feel I `m left out
At it, it’ll straighten out
25.
Cloudy faces
looking at the sun
Added up. In fury
Sun punched a hole
26.
Depression –
what `s it?
God’s long faced joke on us all
Humour `s just below
27.
Many Haikus I
see
As I lie down
They flee on waking
28.
Shore bird
dozes on a mast
Ship sails far
Futile attempts to fly away
Mast home
29.
Sad body I face
Sad face is another race
I’m no qualified ace
30.
Kitty’s on the
roof
Doggy shows its teeth to it
A friendly contest ?
31.
Dog pounce on
kitty
Punch a hole in its belly
Blood `s on whose hands
?
32.
Peacocks’ show
is on
Dog barks from behind the fence
Duty for its sake ?
33.
Printer has its
whims ?
Wizard brings out all her tools
She plays with herself
34.
He `s intense
with thoughts
God comes, `What `s thy great wish, Ask!’
`Tally my accounts’
35.
Hand clutch the
other
Gazes up, gazes down
Baton exchange
36.
As sister
chatters
Brother rides a bicycle
Mountains watch amused
37.
Friends on a
beachside
Flashy waves cover their tracks
Retreads, fresh waves, who `s last ?
38.
Child holds
mother’s hands
As he walks on field’s ridges
Baby `s safe at breasts
Death
39. A bright green food cart
Drawn by a thousand small ants
Cage called grass hopper
40. He alights from plane
To catch a connecting flight
Abandoned plane burns
41.Child runs
home from play
Mother unzips dirty dress
Dying woman smiles
On Haiku
42. Haiku – What is it ?
Needle’s small eye that catches
Ramji’s elephants
43. Haiku – What `s it ?
Needle’s small eye that catches
Lord’s very own camels
44.
A thousand haikus
Tell in a thousand score words
`God, I adore you’
45.
A thousand haikus
Tell in a thousand score words
`God, I thank you too’
46.
Calmness round her
Wizened woman tells her beads
Mind’s tongue rolls a haiku
Flower
47.Lady
plucks a flower
Ah, what exquisite fragrance
Under the high heels
48.
Bitter, Ahm, what `s it ?
Straight to head, a merry kick
Haiku, that is it
49.
Watching the rainfall
Shaven head, knees down, face blank
It `s raining in Mars
50.
A blue bicycle
Thunder, lightning and rainfall
Blue girl’s merry claps
51.
Child in dad’s safe hands
Gapes in wonder at new world
For trillionth time
52. Ant is limping back
`nother
passing, sniffs, goes on
Organization
53. Cat and mouse God’s Play
“`t`s death to
me” cries the mouse
`Who are you ?’
asks God
54.
Strict no-nonsense boss
Or blabbering nonsense wreck ?
A toss – heads or tails
55.
`Off with his dumb head !’
The pleased dictator looks back
Boomerang at neck
56.
Western bulldog’s fangs bare
Northern bully’s nuclear stare
`Peace’ preach candlewallahs
Yea, not one piece
We’ll be blown to
many pieces
Better we be in one piece
However bruised by
war
10. Sailor Bird
A tiny bird lived on a river-side tree
It flew as much as it’s
wings could carry
Once it went a bit far into the delta
Sat on a ship’s mast a sight it never saw
`Twas cozy, felt
dozy, fell into snooze long
Woke up to find that the ship had gone
into far
Deep seas, terrified the little bird
thought
Breathed hard, pumped energy, it flew up
north
No land, day’s end it came back to the
mast
Next days it tried to fly south, west and
east
`midst waters in
ship alone it found its hope
Settled there,`mong sailors found its true home
North, east, west, south all directions we
fly
To find that in our own hearts all goodthings lie.
11. `Go Forward’
Once a humble wood-cutter walked his way
to wood
He saw coming his way a youth exceedingly
good
As of custom he bowed and asked `Sir, say
thou a word’
The holy man replied in brief, `Son, go
thou forward’
The man paused went further and found a
sandal grove
Glad at heart, he made his gains with his
treasure trove
As days passed it struck his heart that he
had stopped short
“`Go forward’ the holy man said”, so went
a bit more north
Ecstatic
he found gold that made him king of town
Content he lived till it came to him that
he had `gain come down
He packed his bag and went forward and
found precious gems
Returned to folks, his bag full, richest among them
Till one day he mused again and walked to
the hill-top tree
And found that light that played around
his Guru walking free
56.Child
breaks a live twig
Boy stones a stray dog
Evolution : Sep. Eleven
12. Sky-bird
High up in the azure sky lived a mighty
bird
It drank manna from heavens, no touch with
the world
Had its birdy
work to do so did lay an egg
The egg was laid so high above no tree or
nest to leg
So it fell down, so high up, took a long long time
Falling, friction warmed it up it hatched
in no time
Chick came out falling head down soon grew
its wings
Saw earth closing on and realized death
coming
Wisdom flashed, with an instant snap wings
carried it up
Flew its way to mother with it to manna
sup
Ramas,
Born free they come to earth to show us
the high way
We who think we’re puny birds we too can rise so high
Every worm looks up, evolves and sups
manna in high sky
57.
Under
the banyan
Young girl teaches the old man
Silence drown all noise
13. On an insect climbing a plastic chair or Lok
na pok
The insect climbs it’s great Gaurishankar peak
Slips, tries, reaches the top of the chair plastic
Skiing down, crawls on in search of food morsel
Gets it, survives shoes, goes to muse in its cell
Write its own insect poems, think insect
thoughts
Lucky one, dies of old age, well lived, or sorts
Baby fights its way down, cries victory
Struggles `gainst alien force, that `s
life’s story
Gets grub, job, promotions, posts and power
Builds, accumulates, kills, gives favour
Name talked about in awe, in hushed whispers
A cretin standing high amidst its peers
Crowded cretin dreams – comes a sudden light
The great golden Self wakes with all its might
Or
The great golden Self wakes with a smile bright
58.`Hello,
please wait’ ; Pause :
Bird song reaches heart through ears
`Hi’, business jerks
14.
Navigating Life
Winds
blow heavy, stream swift, rocky ledge and weeds
Helmsman
up, on rudder strong grip, boat speeds
Deftly
skips the skipper,
narrow stony wall
Slightest
touch, boat `ll be
smithereens all
Knit
brows, salty sweat taste, captain holds firm
Rapid
fall to slow plains, now his rest time
Friendly
winds blow, he pulls out beauty sail
Puffs
a content ring, relaxed, by the rail
Such
is life’s current rest follow labour
God’s
mercy wind takes you to safe harbour
If
had worked your way down stream with ardour
Perhaps
you `re born with grace in thy store
Beware,
perfection to fall; many in lore
Lust
and lucre : flee them to reach the shore
59.
I’ll put down the phone
Harassed executive to wife
Two, three, four, … ?
Or one ?
15.
The Spider
The strongest, subtlest one on earth lay limp
On my door knob outspreading all it’s
limb
I gently lifted the deft creature
And let it float down into its bed nature
It rises anew to spin fresh gossamer
Have it’s fun trapping, what a fine weaver !
My Mother, sweet spider, spins Maya web
Has Her joy to trap and strike us down
numb
Dare one struggle, she lets her fly away
She devours them all who in fine bed stay
She goes on playing with them till they gain strength
And break free from the net at some rebirth
Web and we victims all, born off Her womb
Fight hard, she’ll wink us out of this sticky comb
60.
Dead on my door knob
Tireless gossamer weaver
Big Comrade beckons
16.
Boss
`I`m thinking what to do with you’ says
boss
`I`m thinking the same of you’ thinks his
boss
Ad infinitum it goes. What
am I ?
Nobody ? It hurts to be a small fry.
`Mind your position, see reality’
That can’t be the way, I`m Infinity
Ant is great as tusker is not a tale
Great or small in size is not the finale
Spirit is not fiction and it `s fullness
To be the last boss is life gone in madness
Firefly in darkness proud of it’s small
light
Stars shine forth with proud twinkles, then moon bright
Each bosses o’er the other till Sun comes
Thou art That but play thy roles, say the
tomes
61.
`Thinking what to do with you’
Ditto thinks his boss
Roles in a play. Peace.
30.5.2002; Direct into computer
7.
The Ass
With pleasure twitches the nerve, sags after
Delight kicks its way up, atones later
Even after thousand falls sure a rise
But an ass may not buy at such a price
Why go for giddy noxious gutters
While nutrient nectar is for takers
Go get it right now, to Spirit go thou
Body’s an ass, to its dictates firm `no’
His name is the stick, spank hard thy body
His name is the carrot, feed mind this toddy
Use it often. Other means are shoddy
Keep it at back that rise `s the last word
Bad habit `s not nature, they’re quickly shed
Crack, the obstinate ass `s easily led
62. Thousand falls
then rise
Obstinate ass pays high price
Be a horse, that’s nice
17.
To be selfish, seems,
is some times for good
To be selfish, seems, is some times for good
Good will, yes, but keep a distance, thou should
Sticky affection is an early version
Which may soon grow to a full blown passion
Thy mind may call it selfish, but take care
It’s still under the sway of form it wears
The old ass is wily, plays its own tricks
Has thy dear mind play ball to its kicks
There `s a Mother who `s wiser than us all
She’ll take care of you along with your pal
Leave off thy pretence thou art a know all
Grow thyself. Become thou a mighty tree
Thou will cast a homely shade, fruits free
But thy all affairs with Sun it would be
63. Plant says - `goats, come’ - dies
Tree casts a huge shade, gives fruits
It’s affair `s the Sun
18.
Counsel to a clouded mind
Under the five trees sat a Hatha Yogi
Showing the laity, feats of Neti, Dhauti
Among the gathering was the lad Yogin
Thoughts lustful, low, that won’t go, lay nagging
Thought he, such tricks, `ll sure drive
them out
Help him to reach God, a sure way, no doubt
To his Guru he went, `Sir, teach me a way’
`Clap thy hands with God’s name, sins ‘ll fly away
Like birds on a tree on sound of a clap’ said he
The lad had doubts, went again to the yogi
The Guru brought him back,`such
tricks not for you.
Will make you body bound, lay chains anew’
Though in doubt, the disciple gave it a try.
Mind’s cloud melted away. Lord’s name let’s too cry
64. Under the banyan
Claps Lord’s name in elation
Birds fly and so sin
Neti & Dhauti : Feats such as
swallowing a thin piece of cloth and bringing them out and swallowing gallons
of water and throwing them out. Hatha Yogins do such feats to maintain the body.
19.
Occult Powers
Once a fine lad went out in search of God
Many a mile in deep forest he trod
Met a sage who gave him a name to call
Found a fit place to do his penance all
Years hence he awoke to a power
Welling up in him like a reservoir
Elated the lad strutted about
Forgot God to find whom he had set out
God took a simpleton’s shape and came
`Sir, yonder tusker can thou kill, thou of fame
?’
`See for thyself’ said he, it died that instant
And at his word rose again just like that
`Has this feat helped you to find God’ asked he
And vanished waking the lad from his folly
65. Me
and my power
Swiftly flow down the sewer
To make a mire
66. Mixed with God’s mercy
Broad channels `fore meeting sea
Great blessing we be
20.
Blind man’s Buff
I feel in my bones I’d been here before
Had had all this fun and my share of woe
All these sweet friendships and bitter back talks
How many regrets and thoughtful long walks
From watery womb, in blindfolds to tomb
Lives slip past,
human and creatures dumb
Moms have pecked me, licked me and breast
fed me
Been he after she and she after he
Enough is enough of all these dull games
Had had my fill calling them beauty
names
Now I’m wearied, on you lay all my shames
Let out the secret, can’t hold any longer
Were you waiting for me to get stronger ?
Open my folds to see you. Game’s over.
67. Groping womb to tomb
Catching many moms, dads, friends
Game ‘s o’er now. Release.
21.
Train to Nowhere ?
A dark big Amazon with scythe and a green
A pretty lass in black silk that flash with bright
sheen
A child with skirts blowing she fights to
put in place
A blind old man groping with his neighbour’s speech’s pace
Vendors with vadai
coffee venturing with hope
A mustached baby at mirror playing with
soap
Life in myriad forms in the bowels of
train
When and where to alight to try to know is
vain
Some try to jump the gun, pull chains, go down
Some try to read the slip but of little
gain
Some just kill time but at great cost and
pain
Pilot guard at the helm, straight way to Her
She’ll let you into the secret of all this
hell fire
Get to Her in
engine, it’s all magic sure
Or
Get to Her in
engine, nothing is lovelier
68.
Ticket can’t be read
Old, young, rich, poor, good, bad, all
Where to ? Ask driver
69.
Master eats ice cream
We too ? No, ice cream eats us
He eats, a Master
Or
Vivekananda ate ice cream
We too ? No, ice
cream eats us
He ate, a Master
On board Kovai
Express;
22. Foul fish or fresh flowers?
Two fishwives of foul fish went with their wares
In bazaar all sold, back with their money’s shares
Black clouds, rain started, no time to run home
Sought shelter in a hut, besides thyme
Flowers were strewn about, fragrance in the air
The lady there a florist, sold them in the fair
The fishwives were fed well. A fine bed welcome
But no, they tossed about; sleep would not come
The fragrance of the flowers was too much for them
They thought, at last, the basket with foul fish some
With it at their head, they lay in rest wholesome
That is we mortals with foul fun finite
We forget the full joy of God infinite
Let’s wake up, behind us the dark dull night
70. Fishwives, road home, rain
Rest in florist’s home. No sleep
Fish vat at head. Snore
Or
70.
Fishwives,
road home, rain
Rest in florist’s home. No gain
With fish vat cloud nine
For
Enacted by Cpt.
Students
23.
Three Robbers
A citizen had once to cross a wood
Three robbers of a gang upon him pounced
Robbing him of all he had, one robber said
‘Kill him, better for us if he be dead’
‘Nother said, `Spare him, let’s just bind him well’
Left him bound. One came back. `Untie you
I shall’
Cut his bonds, showed him the way out of woods
The robbed man said, ‘Please come Sir, dine in our house’
‘No,’ said he, ‘cops’ll catch me, I’m an
outlaw
They parted each their way, darkness and light, yea
Slothful tamas kills, active rajas saves
That too lay bonds, which serene sattva
breaks
But jewel gold has some impurities
Purest gold breaks, it’s unseen by the eyes.
On board Kovai
Express back to Cbe. On
For
71.
Best of good folks too.
Have a tint of self lurking
Hail the rare free one !
24
Phalaharini Kali Puja
The Guru of all sits still
In front of the Mother of all
A vicarious worship goes on
She eats all the fruit that he lays on
He climbed all trees brought all fruit
Dark, red and bright. Lay them at Her
feet
He laid them with chants, ate she in
silence
Hold this sight, O Mind, flicker not even
once
Thou wouldst find thy dross being sucked
up
Do the least of his deeds and offer thy
cup
She will fill it with nectar to fill thy
life
Token enactment would end all strife
She the virgin, eternal feminine
Salute Her in
all, joy is thine
72.
The Guru of all
In front of Mother of all
Vicariously
On Shodashi
Puja night
25.
Onward !
A
girl set out for
Jagannath Darshan
Didn’t know the way, asked folks for direction
They helped much as they could, she reached the shrine
Had vision to her heart’s content, cloud nine
So is Life Spiritual, stir out first
Then thou wouldst find guide to pass the hard test
Vain is the life that’s entwined with marsh weed
He had slept in sloth, so, o’er him they’d gained
Arise, awake and march on thou brave heart
Sloth and stupor doesn’t suit on thy part
God is up for thy grab, life is so short
So gird up, on thy feet, start thy long march
Her name is the switch that’ll light thy heart torch
With it out of dark woods, sun will light thy path
73.
Stir out on a path
Somebody will show the way
River’ll reach the sea
26.
Paramahamsa Walks
Hefty, puffy, Paramahamsa walks
Unconcerned, naked, with smile as he shocks
As nasty kids pelt him with stones, he runs
Laughing at his wounds, `Ah, my Lord has
fun’
Enters Mother’s shrine Her name loudly
speaks
At his fervent chant, temple wall shakes
Beggars shun him, eats with friendly stray dogs
From leftover leaves standing amidst bogs
‘Nother of same kind watches intently
`Ah, a perfect soul, I too be like thee ?’
His kin, for a word, after him goes he
The man throws stones, but persists our Hriday
‘
Says he, ‘thou has had thy knowledge that day’
74.
Nasty kids pelt him with stones
Runs, laughs at his wounds
‘Ah, my Lord has fun’
27. Ma, this is the grief that sorely
grieves my heart
Ma, this is the grief that sorely grieves my heart
My best friend, my good mind, tells clean what’s right on my part
But my worst foe, my other mind, takes me down the drain
To the ways of
flesh it makes me yield, oh, what strain !
Ma, this is the grief that sorely grieves my heart
That you stand laughing doing nothing on your part
I tumble, I get up, for ions the silly
show goes on
I, poor I, wretched I, by your Maya have been conned
Ma, this is the grief that sorely grieves my heart
That noxious sense pleasures have hooked me on their leash short
That the me which has tasted the bliss of infinity
Is still held in chains by body’s infirmity
Ma, to kick this habit, even if you wouldn’t aid
You can’t hold me down, your store of weapons I’ll myself raid
75.
I know the way right
But go back when goal’s in sight
Hooked to Maya blight
8. It’s all only a play
Relic of the purest flesh that walked this earth
Has mingled with this, my body, in its sheath
This, my mind, which hovers around this flesh
Mingles with His mind when it’s pure and fresh
The rarer mind has found utmost joy
In His company more than in any earthly toy
Then why this mind goes tangent towards earth
In His lap when it has secure berth
Who’ll answer this question that vexes me ?
This body mind slips off however my struggles be.
When will it be that it ever soars round thee ?
Ah, let me take heart, it’s all only play
However frightful scenes setup thou may
Not easily frightened, thy child, I say
76.
In Thy love safe berth
But mind goes tangent to earth
Ah, Thy tricks no dearth
9. A New Beginning ?
The earth rotates on its axis, hence day
and night
Revolves round the sun, so a year, right ?
As long these goes on, is there a new day
or year ?
But, we tire of sameness, all this wear
and tear
So we dream new dreams, invent fresh
starts
And call new days, new years and many such
new parts
Is there any new thing, unrepeated history ?
Past less present, joy without worry ?
`Present alone is, make the best of it’,
says one
`Work for future’, ‘nother says, ‘walk
toward the sun’
Thou art eternal, say scriptures in unison
Still with newness let’s side, for death
is a lie
For novelty, life, joy and strength let’s
vie
So long we dream, let’s dream without a
sigh
77. Earth rotates, revolves
Day, year, So what’s new here ?
Dream not or dream newness
28.
The Origin
A twig broken, stuck up in earth, sprouts life
Ant crawls up, spider strikes, thrusts legs as knife
Spider starves, falls limp, ants carry it off
Ever busy, breeding and keeping stock
On air, seas, animals, humans, ride seeds
To perpetuate their precious species
Tiny blade of grass tries to raise its head
Each and every time boots crush in their tread
There’s a living dynamo working away
Drawing from which all life forms make their way
Myriad psychedelic life lights flashing gay
To the Origin I wish to turn now
Not to these to which we’re all drawn somehow
Come climax, let’s bask and merge with Her
glow
78.
Humans longing for their Source
Male vs. female
Divine Origin
10.
Dreams
Dream life, what are you indeed made of?
You slip in unawares and nicely show-off
You manage to change my personality
Make me a woman or old man with frailty
An hour runs into a whole lifetime
Back into an hour at waking time
This life forgotten there and that life here
All vividness melts off when next is near
Lives bygone coming in nostalgia?
Lives yet to come showing up via?
‘Nother reality or just trivia?
It’s sure a link in the joint life cycle
I dare not miss it to come a full circle
To sleep waking, wake sleeping’s the principle
79.
O Dreams, what are you?
You make me anything else
Sleep waking – Life’s key
Storm dust cloud difference trees not distinguished then
God alone is
Practice of disciplines cloud of ego and
ignorance vanishes
Cloud gathers rainfall, water flows
through spout
Lens burns paper when cloud disappers 583 p
Not inside the house – of Maya
Maya ego like cloud with
cloud of Maya do not see effect of Sun of knowledge
If I keep money near will raise clouds 387
g
Sun cannot be seen if cloud rises
Clouds rumbled and lightning flashed 568 b
– Shibu matches
Sight of clouds recalled
Vedantic monk danced at sight of clouds
Peacock emotion awakened
Cloud is source of Water 157 e – lion
29. Clouds
Clouds up on the sky hide the light of Sun
Clouds in my mind hide the light within
Lens concentrates direct Sun and burns shreds
My good mind unclouded can face all nerds
I and mine, two words, which clouds the fine mind
Lust and wealth, two things of the fogging kind
Thine, Tuhu, one word that lets the light through
God, Atman, Spirit lifts the foggy brew
Dark Mother Kali is the Maya cloud
Welcome her like peacock, stage a dance proud
She’ll shower grace, then to see the Sun,
we could
God the Sun forms clouds and flows down as rains
Nourishes us, disperses clouds, all gains
For us to walk towards him, alone He shines
80.
Clouds up on the sky
Clouds hide light within also
I love, my wealth – fogs
30.
Doctors and Teachers
Doctors are of three kinds and so teachers
One prescribes, lets patient, student at his wits
Next persuades to study, follow diet
He is a better one, not the best but quite
The best one force their way into stubborn rock
Turn even an ass mind to a swift horse
Such a doc. will pump chest with a knee press
And bring back her patient from Death’s address
Thou art the expert doc and we thy patients
If we happen to skip thy prescribed Gospels
Thou knock us around fast to our senses
Thou art the Teacher of teachers to us wards
Thy words are strewn as pearls and sung by bards
Thou goad us from our piggish pranks to you hard
81. Some teachers just teach
Mediocre persuade
Best break into rocks
82.
Some docs just prescribe
Mediocre persuade
Best wrest back from death
31.
Leaf-counters
Cartoon characters need to keep talking
Their blah, blah balloons must be hovering
Then only their emptiness is hidden
They talk high things seated in their divan
Of country, war and peace and even God
But an ounce of doing is for them hard
They are busy planning, counting engagements
To make speeches with more enumerations
In a sweet mango grove a bunch barged in
To count trees and leaves, leaving fruits therein
Aren’t they fools untasting fruits, over leaves din
?
Let us not be like silly leaf counters
In silence let’s search for God in all encounters
He’s the luscious fruit lying unseen by sounders
83.
Blah, blah, balloon bobs
Cartoon characters walk on
Missing fruits for leaves
Leaf-counters
Cartoon characters need to keep talking;
Their blah, blah balloons must be hovering
- Then only their emptiness is hidden.
They talk high things seated on their divans,
Of country, war and peace and even God.
But an ounce of doing is for them too hard
- They are busy planning, counting engagements
To make more speeches with yet more enumerations.
In a sweet mango grove a bunch barged in
To count the trees and leaves,
leaving the fruit unseen
Untasted. Why did these fools so fussily come in?
Let us not be silly leaf-counters.
In silence
let's search for God in all encounters
He's the
luscious fruit lying unseen by talkers
Blah, blah, balloon bobs.
Cartoon characters walk on,
Missing fruit for leaves.
32.
Quarrels
Strife, fanaticism, and such ills plague
Fundamentalism and faith in league
Why such strange mix? Because of blinkered sight
God shows to each according to his light
All say their watch alone shows right time
While all approximate, sun rightly chime
Nearer we are to sun, the less we quarrel
When sun burns its way into us, never will
A man saw a creature under a tree
He saw it red, some blue, and some as green
They quarreled and at last went to see
A tramp who had his home under that tree
He said, `All thy words are true but partial
He is all this but at times with colours nil’
Chameleon like, God has all names and forms
Formless too shines. So let’s not throw crude bombs.
84.
Chameleon like
God - all forms and formless too
Fun - watching changes
33.
Distant sound …
God, the soul of our souls, is not a mere hearsay
Not a Japanese
vase, to, in a corner, quaintly lay
God is much more a man than any man of our life
Or closer than any woman, mother, sister or wife
He, She, is the supreme person of all personalities
He, She is the core of `I’, the source of all our vanities
God is He, She, call as you like, He’s infinite
Yet so acute His ears, can hear the footfall of a mite
She is the living power-house of love, which overfills
All these little piggy box loves which, to us, life
bills
He seems distant, abstract, so is ocean from afar
But as you approach, hear waves washing ashore
Then vivid ‘fore your eyes splashing you gaily
So will God be, if you inch towards Him daily
85.
God the Power house
Fills all our piggy bank loves
Takes us in Her
folds
34.
Photograph
His holy photograph looms before me
Its original starts to take shape within me
Black nitrate solution has taken the image
Blackness within but lights slowly emerge
The Original from my heart walked the earth
Got photographed, hid back into darkness beneath
The photo tugs the origin gently from the dark
The Real responds, has Its moods, takes
some work
Hang on to His photographs, drink in the sight
This shadowy light will switch on the heart’s light
Sun will rise, behind you, the dull, dark night
Till then, make the best use of this shadow
The moon shows the way, when you walk the night meadow
Up from moonlit dream walk, sun comes knocking at your window
85.
The Real slipped out
Walked the earth, got photographed
Back inside heart’s folds
11.
Flower
This flower is the life of all mortals
It floats in the centre of one’s heart
The name Love is writ large on its petals
It lies unopened at the start
Light from other blossoms
Will open this young bud
Darkness from withered buds some
Almost strikes it dead
But no, life is forever
No bud ever withers fully
Dark is never for ever
Light remains potentially
But for you, my dear
No little lights will do
Drink in the light from the Sunflower
Nothing less for you
Into thy blossomed heart
Let the Love of all loves sit
From It may you never part
Till thou merge thyself into it
86.
Other blossoms light
This bud in one’s heart
Sun flower alone for thy part
12.
Competition
There is a competition around
Species compete for food
Worst adopted go aground
Best makes it good
The worsted, reenter
Endowed with better sense
This time fares better
Some still act dense
Into a cellular womb again
For better or worse
Ride a better body, gain
Evolving in due course
Body evolves at infinitesimal pace
Mind wakes still slowly
It’s a long windy marathon race
To the highest from the most lowly
How it all started, can one ever say?
With a wink, God, involved into an amoeba
Since then goes on this play
Of life, gasses and supernova
87.
God winks – amoeba
Evolution starts – slow game
Buddha hood – Game won
35.
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is next to Godliness, yea.
To be clean in mind is the only Law
Growing this will take you nearest to God
‘Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God’
Truthfulness is an easy path to be pure
Married to a great Will, would, all ills, cure
Truthful one naps on the lap of God High
Impossible to stray, for him, well nigh
Truth seems simple, but has many stages
In word is basic but it takes ages
In mind and deeds, a long battle rages
Simplicity and truthfulness - God’s boon
One so endowed is a precious full moon
Beware of deception or thy fall soon.
88.
Cleanliness is next to God
Yea, pure will see God
In Truth thou shall trod
13.
Time
Time!
What is time?
Time as History and Time as my life
In History Time has evolved Life
Time causes backslides, involutions
Corruptions, causing revolutions
Life, Nations, Civilizations
On the march with patience
Ahead, fall back, ad infinitum
`s the dreary dull story of Time
Me in time!
I tumble, walk, and mime
Look out, gobble, grasp
In friendship hands clasp
Joyful togetherness
But Time separates
Joy subsides, wallow in gloom
Despairing to sight a bloom
Joyful, sad, ad nauseam
That’s the tale of my life’s Time
Joys and sorrows of selves or nations
Are waves of Time’s oceans
It’s a steed, we rarely try to ride
Some do dare to sit over its rough hide
It runs at their will
Or at their word lie still
89.
Time, a rough ride, dare you still
Soon runs at your will
At your word stands still
14. Water
A dialogue:
Lament :
In these wavy waters I ride my boat
I fight the strong waves and try best to bolt
Waves sweep inside and drench me with sorrow
Leaving me exhausted scooping out, Oh !
The waters sometimes rocks me softly as cradle
Smooth goes the lifeboat with gentle paddle
In this dual throng of sorrows and joy
Life goes on with no purpose, aye!
Answer:
Thou art of the same substance as water
This body-mind, thy boat is meant to shatter
To fight, thy station, results no matter
The waters are immortal Infinity
Thy body-mind houses a spark, tiny
A joker’s game, splitting one into many
90.
Water in a pot
Rides a jolly boat
To fall into its sea host
15.
Stone
Bruised, I rushed that I could draw comfort from
The soft lap of declared friendship
He was soft all round, but for me, no room
In his bosom, I discovered, a hard stone chip.
‘Nother talks of law and order
Which has shrunk the space in his heart
A keeper of law’s corner stone, a jail warder
His Masters’ soldier playing his part
I turn to God, run to the shrine
Cry my woes before the Deity
My dead stone of despair stay, no gain
God before me remain stony
With pierced stone’s hurt in me
I bang against stone everywhere
Search the world in bended knee
To quench with a drop, from somewhere
The invalid convalesces
Tries walking, never lets go the prop
The stony docs and nurses
Snatch it, let it drop
So, Ma, my head sees you
Behind all these stony facades
May my bruised heart too
Burst these blinding blockades
16.
Rise is the last word
I am an Advaitin
I am taught that God is in every one
I see God in all directions
All my dealings are worshipful motions
I bumble along in love with God
I am not humble, I confront God
Unity I sense vaguely now
Never mind, not far, the all know-how
The dream ’ll break in a minute or day
Break it must, so all scriptures say
Easy words under good breeze, no headache
So be it, let armchair, sad broodings break
In my chair, on my feet, I’ll practice
A thousand falls, the last word is, rise
My friend is God, foe a frightful mask
I frighten at `boo’ but to rise is my task
My friend doesn’t part, It’s God eternal
Infinity covers all loves ephemeral
Who am I ? My weakness a myth
It’s a disease, this, my fearing death
There is a catch in my strange situation
Never mind falls, to rise is my vocation
A game thou playest with me
But thy clues : Eternal love and service
free
I may stumble, but rise I will
Rise is the only word in my bible
I’m `die-game’ for thee
Thou high and mighty
I’m not to be slighted, I, thy play mate
Lose pawns I may, but it’s I who says `check mate’
36. Kitty
Kitty mews softly
Mom-cat places it on master’s bed
Kitty sleeps soundly
Next mom puts it in an empty shed
Some are kitty and God their Mommy cat
She knows which’s the safest place
Their task just to mew and that
‘ll bring Her to them and with Her peace
Some are born monkey
They clutch hard their mother
As she leaps from tree to tree
Risks great to fall down to worlds nether
Repeated births as monkey
Bring the kitty out of the monkey
37.
Smoke
This smokescreen makes
The greatest lie of the Greatest Truth
Makes white into black
White is the all, black is nil
The All become nothing
But black really reflect on the other side
It absorbs all and shows all but on the reverse
We need to pierce this screen
To see it as All from behind
Or pray for the screen to reveal
My Black Mother plays a game
Seek the All in Her, She is two-in-one
All and Nil, White and Black
Are Her twin facets, front and back
17.
Tree
The tree stood solid, vast before me
A branch hung low, teasing me
Daring me to have a tug at it
I pulled playfully and that act
Started a whole chain
The branch coiled in
Like an elephant’s proboscis
It disappeared, my heart gave a miss
The branch went first, next the tree
In it’s place, a huge vibrating energy
It shook me, I woke up in wonder
At the vision I’ve been under
Under an interlinked canopy of power we live
More than this to see I squint and strive
18.
Scolding
Scoldings, just, unjust, all sorts
Have inured my skin, made it thick
I am the favourite whipping horse
Of
all folks,
small and big
They think they can take it on me
All their pent up steamy excrescence
Nobody cares to hear me
If at all, they do with condescendence
I am everybody’s punching bag
Favoured punch for their laughs
I can’t afford to explode, so I’m tame and slack
Worst of all, my adopted philosoph’
Holds me responsible in every aspect
Oh, for a healthy ounce of rage, fight and self-respect
!
1/2003
38. The Yatcht
The grand old yatcht merrily cruises
Full regalia, glossy painted colours
The captain puts up a gallant
face
Acts with flair, winning
talk, all ace
But, oh, the gay ship leaks
out and in
Oil oozes out, water seeps
incessantly in
Peril ahead, beware, skipper Mind !
Glibness, brinksmanship `s
better left behind
You’ve ridden too may ladders
high
May be the gaping python mouth ’s nearby
Plug the holes, out with cloying
worldliness
Out the noxious slicks of
sense pleasures
Shut the seepage of soapy
emotion
Plug into the Whole that sets
all in motion !
39. The Wise Farmer
Once, there lived a peasant couple with a son
Haru, they fondly called him, their only one
Long awaited child, they loved him dearly
Did the best for him. All he wished for, had he.
The father, a pious man, head held high
Respected by all lived he. Days went by.
Gained wisdom as he mused while he tilled day long
Mother with her son, fussing all along
One fine morn, the farmer woke up musing
Found his only son ill and dying
Brought the best doctors, did all that he could
The boy died but no tears did he shed
Grieving mother grieved the more seeing him
Unmoved. ‘Your only son, young, full of vim, 14
Fate struck him but you grieve not, cry not !
Heartless you are, a stone ‘s what you’ve got !’
The gentle farmer replied, ‘Hear my dear,
I am puzzled for whom to shed my tear
In the early morn I ruled a rich kingdom
Had six strapping princely sons with wisdom
And valour to win the world twice over
Then woke up to find them gone for ever 22
Now tell me dear, whom should I cry for ?
My Haru or those sons valorous in War ?
This a dream ? That true ? Or the real is beyond, far ?’ 25
Truth flashed on her too. Dim brooding she quit.
Life with scenes of waking and dream is but
Tip of the living force solid and spread out. 28
19. The
Could it ever go away from him ?
Our hostel mirrored him.
And that was its doing and
undoing.
The hostel as we saw it !
That should make a good story
The hostel as we boys
experienced
Was very much himself
How we relish to remember his
boring talks !
How sweet his rare short talks !
How dear his hellos and scowls !
How with tact, we could play
with his moods
We recall fondly how we
fooled him
But he perhaps let us think we fooled him
It was fun doing things for
him.
It was fun watching a line of
ants carrying their eggs or grub
It was fun wearily waiting
for reluctant Narikoravas to turn up.
It was fun translating
something into Badaga.
It was fun because it was all
for him.
And the most fun was dragging
others into his deadly boringness.
It was all fun how he bored
into us
Something of God, Truth and Goodness.
He bored himself into us.
We sure miss him
And hope he misses us too.
But of that we are not sure
For he will find somebody
else to bore
Somewhere.
But we dare not hope to find such a bore again.
40. Carrion Fly and Honey bee
It was born in death, it fed on death
Gorged on over the length and breadth
Of that huge breathless body
And flourished on putrid mortality
It’s suckers knew well their business end
Hurrying a helpless body to its end
A bumble bee on it’s nectarine way
Stopped a bit. Had something to say
The fly had no time, its little mouth too busy
The bee went away sighing in pity
Something stirred within the fly
It mused, ‘that bee, weirdo, just passes by
A welcome table, red meat ripped open
Where does it go, to other food, better even ? 14
But the taste, sights and smells of blood
Soon the flea’s all senses drugged
It ate and slept and found it’s mate
All world’s flesh could never satiate
Amidst it’s fool life all dead and dull
It thought of the bee for a moment still
It looked up, sure the bee was there
again
This time the fly followed in its train
As it flew it felt it’s proboscis
growing
Glided along, sat on a lotus flowering 24
I’m that flea, it hit hard, I blinked
Crash. I woke. Everything clicked 26
I’m on the look out for those rare honey bees
Sure will come my way, though, may be away seven seas. 28
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