Friday, November 29, 2013

What's in a word?

What's in a word we may ask.
Mere squiggles and syllables.
dried leaves falling from the tree of meaning.

And yet in a word is concealed
all our dreams, hopes, fears and sorrow.

Want, have, loss, despair
Words of desire, of need, of hunger; hunger that sustains.
Flames of a summer sun subsisting on our souls.

Love, courage, glory, peace
Words of fire, of inspiration, of flight; flight to the beyond.
Winds of a golden autumn that carry our eager wings.

Worry, fear, disease, turmoil
Words of darkness, of affliction, of malaise; malaise that strengthens.
Wintry words that rasp against our helpless souls.

Pain, tears, sorrow, silence
Words of the river, of growth, of cleansing; cleansing the unstained.
Monsoon's showers that hurt and heal our parched minds.

Seek, know, become, be
Words of hope, of promise, of deliverance; whatsoever deliverance is.
Buds of a spring that we might never see.

Words bloom, words wither and words die.
We are the illusion.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Why not?





If the love of a mere woman can make a man a poet
why will Krishna's song for Radha be divine?

If the song of a mere man can make a woman an angel
why will Krishna's song not make Radha a Goddess?

If mere milk of a mother can nourish her child
why will Radha's kiss not make Krishna immortal?

If the fickle hands of an unseen spring can make flowers bloom
why will Krishna's touch not give Radha a thousand springs?

If desire for land and country can make emperors wage a war
why will Radha's jealousy for Krishna not burn the world?

If just human care and love can heal burns of a malicious flame
why will Krishna's lies not ease Radha's heartache?

If the trivial hope of salvation can bind a devotee to his God
why will the mirage of love not hold Radha and Krishna in thrall forever?