The Wail of Weeping Mothers

This poem has been included in the Anthology "Float Poetry" - Re-verse the Rivers. and I recited it at the Yercaud poetry fest on 20-21 July 2019

Our land, blessed with majestic

 Rivers, lakes, ponds

The famed Ganga, Yamuna in north

Narmada and Tapti in the west

Brahmaputra, Mahanadi in east

Kaveri and  Krishna in south

And many, many  more  mothers

 

The very source of life and sustenance

held holy, revered since ages

A dip in some of them

Believed path to salvation

Yet today, they face decay n Degradation

Filth of all kinds- rubbish, sewage, chemical, thermal

Wastes- Human, industrial, animal

all thrown into mother’s lap

Destroying oxygen content, in water

Depleting aquatic life, in nature!

No. no, no, they wail

“Don’t hurt your own mother”, they plead

Stop, be aware of your deeds, vile

And act!  Make amends, before it’s too late!

"Stop testing our patience dear children” mothers say

“We hate to show you, our less benign face”

Yet, “Kedarnath”, droughts, other calamities await

the prodigal, wayward, sons and daughters

Akin to actor Nargis, in film “Mother India”

Killing with a heavy heart, her son

“We would be compelled to destroy

The very ones, we nourished and nurtured-

Our own children…. "

Captivating Lines from Here and There-28

• Don't do things because you fear consequences of not doing it or because you you fear being disliked. Do things because you want to and love doing it. Love keeps you safe, not fear.
• Your purpose will naturally unfold when you are authentic- allow yourself to be yourself. Ask yourself " what makes me feel passionate/joyful/happy/make me laugh? and engage in these activities.
• Love is the ultimate truth at the heart of creation. We are all the same being in different disguises. 
• When you recognize the impermanence of things, you lose your ego.
• Your soul is not in your body. Your body is in your soul. The whole universe is in your soul. Your soul is part of the universal consciousness.
• Think of your body as an energy field rather than flesh. change your relationship with time. Do not always be in a hurry. When you hurry, the BP goes up and biological changes happen in the body. 
• Change your perception of aging. Tell yourself:  "Everyday, I am increasing my mental and physical capacity." Stay in the state of love all the time. You grow old only when you stop growing. 
• The Gita teaches that you can achieve a state where you don't need any external commendation to make you feel right. You know you are of real worth.
• Compassion is not "feeling sorry for someone" but a recognition of commonality- What someone feels today might be what you will feel next week. 
• Your emotions let you know whether you are allowing or currently resisting your connection to the source. Reach out for the best feeling thought you have access to for moving up the vibrational emotional scale.

War

This poem was included in the April- June issue of the prestigious multilingual International Magazine 'Destine Literare' published from Montreal Canada

In the patriarchal world

Patriotism and dying for one’s land, glorified

People proud of their martyrs

Our numbers more than yours! 

We are far superior!

Sitting in meditation, I traveled

To realms unknown and so far away

Met heroes of world wars 1 and 2

They smiled-  what nation? What boarders?

“ where is the passion?” I sighed

“we don’t need any” they said

Awareness of the seamless oneness

Leaves  no more enemies to fight!  

I returned to this world

And to my Personal wars of the mind…

Perhaps they also will disappear

Will be able to say good bye to internal wars

As I let consciousness expand…..

Changing World of Youngsters

This poem/song has been included in "Ballard and Bards"- An International Anthology from Poesies – 2019 Series

Oh, what’s happening to the world of youngsters?

oh, what has Hi- tech done to them?

neither time for play, nor the time to read

or for a little chat, face to face!

Mono-syllable’s, all I get from them

even as they're glued to their smart friends

the cell phones, tablets or headphones...

No wonder, they've turned couch potatoes

soccer, tennis, all games played indoors

the running and jumping, the skating and diving

all done with, little, deft  fingers!             (Oh what's)

Call it ravings, rantings of an old man

one who has, long gone, over the hill

yet, if you take a cue, and make little amends-

You will find life more fun!

spend more time with 'real' people

and less time with your gadget friends

more time outdoors, more time under the sun

is what will make your life worthwhile!          (Oh what's)

ഇരുൾ (Darkness)

സ്നേഹ ദൂതന്റെ അനുയായികൾ 
കെൽവിനെ കൊല്ലുന്നു 
മതം മാറിയും ചിലർക്ക് 
മോക്ഷമില്ല ...  സാക്ഷര കേരളത്തിൽ പോലും ..
.
English Translation 

The followers of the messiah of love
kill Kelvin
for some, even after conversion
there is no Moksha (liberation/release)
even in 100% literate Kerala...

Foot note: Prompted by the incident of  Honour Killing of  Dalit youth , Kelvin in Kerala 

The Game

"No hard feelings friend" said the winning captain
"It was  all in the heat of the game.
After all, we play to win"
Man to man marking, hard tackles
best of opponents tripped, injured
left gasping on the sidelines.

With the referee also on one's side
and a little bending or ignoring of  rules
the win was comfortable
offside not called, free kicks galore to one side
ball allowed to be played
from outside boundary

The win has the  crowd in ecstasy
even those who at start, cheered the other team
jo jeeta wohi sikandar!
(The one who wins is the king/Alexander)

Winning captain had a strong team
perhaps all this wasn't necessary
"It is all about winning friend"
nothing can be left to chance
victory it is, at any cost, any which way
fair play, rules of the game be damned!

Response

The wise don't fret and fume
because of unexpected weather
increasing  taxes, being caught in traffic
or because people don't vote in the metros

They simply know that raising blood pressure
over matters that they have no control is futile...