அவளது கவிதை

தித்திக்கும் இசைக்கும்,
கொஞ்சும் மழலைக்கும்,
நெஞ்சை நெகிழ வைக்கும்
தமிழுக்கும் நடுவே,
உன் இதழின் மௌனம்


ஒரு திகட்டாத புதுக் கவிதை..

சுவடுகள்

உன் உயிர் தீண்டலால்
என் முகத்தில்,

துளிர்த்தன வெட்கச் சுவடுகள்..

An Alarm Clock, a Divine Lady and I

A devoted Alarm clock (Crooning mechanically):
Wake up, wake up, my darling,
You gotta get going
It's a new, new beginning
A beautiful day in the making.

A sleepy Me (head popping out):
Oh, stop all that crooning
You tell that every morning
Remember, that gets boring
And, I don't feel like waking.

To the coziest of all divine ladies, Lady Idleness!

A blur of white
rising in might
patting me alright
I know thee, my light!

A bewitched me (looking in her direction):
My, I can't stop gazing
At thy form so pleasing
Despite all the ageing
You still look thriving.

A puzzled Alarm clock (rolling eyes):
Now dear, stop wailing
Look at the sun beaming
How dutiful and inspiring
Your day ahead is waiting.

A half convinced Me(struggling):
Oh, enough of convincing
Yet again, you are winning
In holding me from falling
A prey to idleness so dazzling.

And thus I wake up
steaming coffee in a cup
dabbing fresh make up
Sigh, everyday is a hiccup!!

Yet another night returns
Yet another dawn breaks
Yet again his duty begins
Yet again, my friend sings:

Wake up, wake up, my darling,
You gotta get going
It's a new, new beginning
A beautiful day in the making.

And so the story runs
for days, days and days
As the Lady divine returns
in her ever tempting forms.

Alarm Clock: Wake up, wake up, my darling..
Me: No, no, she is alluring
Lady Idleness: My honey, stop resisting
There's lots in the offing.
Alarm Clock: O' dear, you, she is wooing
Me: 'ts just a day, stop worrying
Lady Idleness: My child, continue dreaming
And witness idleness flourishing
Alarm Clock: O'Sigh, why aren't you holding?
Me: Indeed I am, but to her, smiling
To the hand she is lending
Lady Idleness: Come on, it's happiness calling..

And thus for a day
Feeling happy and gay
From the work,cut away
I slept and slept, all day!

The dark secret

Through trees that rose to heights
The moon white as a dove
The sky watching with a million eyes
We played the game of love.

By the brook rippling down softly
On the earth that smelled fresh
Wrapped in your arms so closely
We nestled in our youth’s mesh.

Ah, the memory of one glorious night
It pricks the heart and it bleeds
And now, it’s your spite that I fight
No more in the ring of your needs.

The secret, I bury deep in the wood
The truth falling like sullen shadows
Here once hand in hand we stood
O’ the passion in me, still bellows.

You vow your love and steal my right
Never again to see your face
I remain the mistress for a night
A lover distant in time and space.

Ballerina

Move. To the back, To the front, Inward, Outward..

I sway and dance,
As if in trance..
Rainbows inside my soul,
Ah, fresh love out for a stroll..

Pause. Jump, Turn, Pull in, Pull apart..

This joy so pristine,
me, the new queen..
Serene and tender,
Isn’t love a wonder?

Rise. Swing, Stretch, Bend, Twirl..

The eyes converse,
Languages disperse..
For, it’s silence that steals,
The beauty, off words..

Sway, Pull in, Touch, Hold. Pause.

In his eyes, am lost..
Pragmatic, is this thought?
Or is it all trouble,
Like a dream inside a bubble?

சினேகிதி

பள்ளி அதனில் முதல் நாளில்,
மெல்லச் சிரித்து, கை குலுக்கி,
என்னைப் போல் ஒருவளாய்
அன்று கண்ட அவளோடு..

வட்டப் பொட்டிட்டு, சடை பின்னி,
பூச்சூடி, வண்ணப் பட்டணிந்து,
செல்லச் சிட்டுக்களாய் வானத்தை
எட்டிப் பிடித்து..

தோள் சாய்ந்து, மனம் திறந்து,
சொல்லால், செயலால் துணை இருந்து,
வார்த்தயிலும் மௌனத்திலும்
நட்பதனை உணர்ந்து..

ஆடிப் பாடி, விளையாடி,
கை கோர்த்து நடந்து, முத்தமிட்டு,
முத்தாய் சிரித்து, சிறு பூவாய் மலர்ந்து,
பூரித்து இருக்கயில் ஒரு நாள்..

மனம் குமுற, கண்ணீர் பெறுக,
முதல் முறையாய் தனிமை அதனை
உணர்ந்து நின்றேன், என்
உயிர் சினேகிதி அவளது மரணத்தில்..

[Thanks Rajesh, for putting up with my nagging and helping me out with the tamil fonts! :)..'Tanglish' version of this post in comments..]

The gift

Deep crimson, streaks of gold; a bulging cloud coddling the orange ball..Two dozen birds, miniature marvels, gliding across, with messages from heaven..

"Slowly, steadily, you descend and drop,
next to me, you go hip-hop..
Fragile bird, with a pallid wing,
what message do you bring?"

I hear a grumble; What is it? Is it you, my stomach? Nope, nope..it can't be, for I just fed you..this glass, a proof..

Ah, serene, sensual, surreal; succour, I succumb to thee; Bach and Mozart, Masters of the art! Will you forgive me, this son of thee?? - Sinful, sinning, sinner..



"And there sings a distant lark,
thro' the frills of dark..
O'ye lark in mad mood,
what d'ya sing - The Art of Fugue?"

"Ah yet another bereaved lover..," mutters the man in guard, walking by..

"O' dear sir, I ain't lost a lover,
but a lovely, beautiful daughter..
She was born this day,
but fate snatched her away.."

"I raise my violin, play her tune,
gathering memories, that are strewn..
Heavenward wind, carry with you,
this father's tune, to her, my due.."

For the bookshelf..

Saturday at Oxford
Sunday at Crossword
Four from the former
Two from the latter

Reasons are to be built
For I suffer from guilt
I say, "What for do I earn?"
Oh God, when will I learn? :(

Unwanted

Am finally here, I beamed
In a world that I dreamed
When I saw grandma's lip curl
And say it is a baby girl..

Unfamiliar it all seemed
As all the men screamed
This day that I bloomed
They said all was doomed..

Where first cries were treasured
In angry voices they were buried
We want her no more, they said
It's only ill luck I bred..


I meant good to none
Save her, the only one,
One, who would stop to bother
She, my poor dear mother..

Yet, I felt her palm moisten
Momma,not this bad, bitter poison
Momma, give me your goo' food
Pray, why should I be done for good?

Minds crooked and bent, O'Gracious Death
Tell me, is this life's worth?
This world, I know, I shall never miss
Please silence me, with your kiss..

The poetic spirit of Bharathi

(Backgrounder, in case I am losing someone on what I am talking about - Mahakavi Bharathiyar, popularly known as Bharathi, is one of the most talented poetic minds that Tamil Nadu has ever produced. Bharathiyar kavidaigal (poems of Bharathi) span a wide variety of topics and are especially famous for its spirit of freedom. Bharathi didn’t live long, but his poems continue to ring in our lives, in different forms.)

Tamil, as a language, is something I feel extremely passionate about. Well written Tamil pieces – essays or stories and poems, or for that matter, well written lyrics in movie songs, find a great fan in me. That way, Bharathi’s Tamil has been a source of inspiration, a wonderful means of relaxation for me and I possess this small book of Bharathiyar kavidaigal that I keep going back to, whenever I find the time.

Most of my exposure to his poems, have been through film songs. Nevertheless, I have heard many of his songs being sung by the all time great Carnatic singer, Late M.S. Subulakshmi. I haven’t read all of his works but certain lines amaze me because of their simple yet powerful construction.

Many of his poems carry a burning desire to see a free India, as in,
“Endru thaniyum indha sudhandhira dhaagam?
Endru madiyum engal adimayin mogam?”

Or cases where he would describe the pride of being an Indian, “Paarukulley nalla naadu, engal bharatha naadu”.Powerful words of his would inspire anybody to fight for what one truly deserved.

A set of Bharathi’s songs are entirely dedicated to Goddess Shakthi, on whom he bestows a beautiful form, completely through his poetic prowess. Shakthi for him is “Nitya Kalyani”, also the destroyer of evil, and one who could bless our lives with goodness – “Thunbamiladha nilaye Shakthi; thookam illa kan vizhipey Shakthi” and there are many, many more.

Bharathi was a visionary. He wanted a whole new, free world for women. “Pen Vidhuthalai vendum” he said years and years ago. “Manadhil Urudhi Vendum, Vakkiniley Inimai Vendum”, he wrote on the need for courage in one’s mind also emphasising that politeness should mark one’s speech. A brilliant piece and one of my personal favourites.

Bharati’s sense of romance is mind blowing. Kannama figures as the fictitious lover in many of his poems. The passion with which he describes Kannama and the love for her is exceptional in, “Suttum Vizhi chuddar thaan kannama, suriyar chandirano?”. If that sounded familiar, this is the song sung by Hariharan, in Kandukonden kandukonden. Again, one of my favourites. “Chinanjiru Kiliye Kannama..”, she is the little girl here. “..selva Kalanjiyame” talks about the sweet little darling that she is.

His poems also bear a testimony to the deep thinker that he was. “Nirpadhuvey, Nadapadhuvey, Parapadhuvey..Neengal ellam kanalin neero, pala thotra mayakangalo?” he questions the reality of what we see around us. Are they Maya, mere illusions? My third favourite piece, and it features as a song in the movie “Bharathi”, the song being sung by Harish Raghavendra.

And that just isn’t all about Bharathi. There is much more to him than what I know. As someone, who has begun reading and interpreting him more seriously, I recognize that his poems are a journey into realising certain truths of life. Bharathiyin thamizhil moozhguvadhai kaatilum perinbamum uundo? Reading and comprehending him is truly a matter of pleasure. He IS marvellous.

(if I sent people mad, with all those tamil quotes, am sorry, but if you could understand them, they are a real treat! I consciously refrained from translating them, because it would do utter damage to the beauty of his work.)