1. Among the fields -
On the bank of a luxuriant pool
Not a soul in sight -
I came in solitude, seeking comfort;
2. When a squall blew through -
The trees - could they even be counted?
Like seedlings they scattered,
All over the land.
3. On a small embankment
Stood a tiny coconut grove -
Poor man’s property,
Not pulverized by the storm.
4. Some were felled – the trees,
But several remained
Spared by the God of Wind,
So, it(grove) should live.
5. I have seen solitude –
In that there is relish,
Mist extinguishing sunshine –
Honey treacle’s sweetness,
Steadfast mind is needed,
Sweetness in words are needed,
Goodness in thoughts are needed,
Tantalizing must be attained,
Dreams must be realized,
Swift possession (of such realization) is needed.
Wealth and joy are needed,
Eminence in this world is needed,
(Inner) Eye1 must awaken,
Resolve in action is needed,
Women’s liberation is needed,
The Great God must watch over,
Fruitful Earth is needed,
Heaven should manifest here.
Truth must prevail,
Om, Om, Om, Om
Piercing, brilliant eyes – Kannama,
Are they sun or moon?
Round black eyes – Kannama,
Are they the blackness of the sky?
Like the black-blue saree of silk,
Studded with diamonds;
Are the stars that manifest,
In the middle of the night!
Garden flower’s splendor -
Is that your splendid smile?
The blue waves of the sea –
Are the waves in your heart!1
Graceful cuckoo’s song –
The sweetness of your voice!
Tender maiden – Kannamma,
Embracing love, I feel.
Lock is opened by hand – good
Mind is opened by intellect
Song is opened by melody – joyful
Home is opened by a woman(wife).
Plantain leaf2 is wiped clean by hand – mind’s
Home is wiped clean by truth
Hunting is done by arrow – love’s
Fortress is won by words.
Breath is fastened by mind – the
Body is protected by this deed,
Rice is consumed by mouth – heart’s
Courage is consumed from mother.
As he lay there dying, He came to his senses, Realizing the horror he had become,
Asked of a boon that was noble: ‘Do not mourn my death, but celebrate a festival, Let people wear their finest and exchange sweets, Let there be rows of light and sparklers;
You stepped into eternity
Left me in time’s purgatory
I tore up my past –
It was tangled with memories of you
Future petrifies me because of the void you left within
A thousand abysmal days have trudged by,
Tell me my son,
What should I do with my time? Continue reading “Separation”→
Where human bonds run so deep,
To have withstood the test of attrition – time and time again;
That discord and harmony could co-exist peacefully,
When substantive conversations dissolve pretense and insecurity,
That neither has the need to coddle the other emotionally,
Where one is at ease with the other as with oneself –
Is when, the uttered word becomes redundant
And shared silence becomes comfortable.