Harvest

                                                   source here                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

In this land of festivals

Paddy harvesting

Brings color and joy

Many States

Celebrate harvesting  

In diverse names

In Kerala it’s ‘Onam’

‘Bihu’ in Assam

‘Nabanna’ in Bengal

Tamil Nadu’s ‘Pongal’

From north to South

And east to west

All want to live in joy

In harmony and in peace

So in the name of harvest

No one misses the chance

To sing and dance

Design Rangoli*

In the hope

Of bringing good luck

Seeking happiness

And embracing tradition

                    

*Traditional Indian decorations and patterns made with ground rice, flour, colored sand, sawdust or flower petals done usually during various festivals keeping both the art form and tradition alive.

 

 

Posted for Mary’s prompt Harvest @ Poetry Jam

September

Kans grass under a turquoise sky: image source here

I saw her

Tip toeing

In her deep turquoise sari

Embroidered all over

With white fleecy clouds

I saw her

Drinking

Dewdrops from leaves and grass blades

And hanging out the feathery banners

Of Kans grass on the river banks

I saw her  

Wiping off

The salty sweat of weary workers

And loosening their fetters of duty

On their busy fields

I saw her

Weaving

Joy in every heart for celebration

Of the coming festive season

Her Sheuli garland, lotus petals sing fragrant songs

 

 

Sheuli flower: image source here

Posted for Grace’s Sunday’s Mini-challenge: September Sky @ RealToads

&

Shared with Poetry Pantry @ Poets United

Sea

image source here

The words

I see have wavy face

Their space

Boundless and unfathomable

As I walk by their shores

Every single sunrise and sunset

Of everyday wear a virgin look

I think of tides, currents, expeditions,

And history of course

 

The words

Breathe salty air so closed to life

I dive into their depth

Holding my breath

Ah breathtaking truths, beauty

And dark hollows

Come in sight

No one knows if ever any light

Will there reach

 

The words

Are here from

Time immemorial

Breaking on the shores of heart

Reflecting a world within a world

Spoken, written, sketched, etched, sculpted and sang

By genius and common man

For me, you and all

 

Posted for Peggy’s prompt Sea @ poetry Jam

A Birth

image source here

In suffocating pressure

Heart and soul burn

Gasp for a dot of air, light

And pray a million years

To be released

From the hellish dungeon

Once out

Days of

Planning, Cleaving, Bruting

Begin; days drag on

Till bathing in acid

Is done meticulously

Only then the pallor is gone

A radiant luster peeps

The whole body glows

The diamond smiles

All suffering ends

Without darkness

There is no birth of light

                

Posted for Anthony’s prompt @ dVerse Poetics – Bringing Light To Darkness

Three Witches

image source here

Weird sisters

Dance around the light

Regicide

                           

 

Posted for Mag 236 @ Magpie Tales

 

An Ordinary Life

image source here

The first time I saw you

When our garlands were exchanged 

On the wedding night

The first time I touched you

When our hands were tied by mantras

There was happiness all around

With tearful eyes my baba and ma

Gave my hands to you

To take me far away from them

Love was not at first sight

But there was no dearth of promise

By God’s grace we could give

A loving home to our only child

A very ordinary life

May not be with much color

With pomp and grandeur

With loud laughter and songs

Or feet aching dancing

Neither any rocking earthquake

Nor spewing of lava

Avalanche or quicksand engulfing all

I wonder why we are not

Bored to death

But we are not

May be because

The life is so ordinary

                   

Posted for Poetry Pantry @ Poets United

A Day in Progress

image source here

I’m on the brick pathway as chiming clock tells me to move on. It takes a few steps from my door to reach there. As I walk I grieve for the vanishing thickets with their birdsongs and all the trees that have made room for the concrete. Vultures hover for a stray dog’s carcass. The narrow lane is littered with cow dung and dog turd. My rickshaw puller comes to take me to school. He grieves too. The battery driven eco friendly Totos have arrived in my town carrying more passengers, plying with more speed and less fare.

              

Blazing blue above

Black glasses cover all eyes

Brave sunshine school kids

 

Last minute preparation for Teacher’s Day Celebration is in full swing. Sweat streams as teachers and students rehearse their one act play and others remain busy in their own work schedule. One red and yellow batik print cotton shawl is needed for the dance recital. The teacher responsible is asking us if we could lend one. Ah flashes of lightning, strong wind and torrential rains rejuvenate every spirit. We all wait for a cool bright 5^th September*.

 

My clean red brick road

Sparkling eyes dispel darkness

Soft prayer ripples

 

 

*5^th September is celebrated as Teacher’s Day all over India in fond memory of the great teacher, philosopher, scholar and the second President of India Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975).

 

This is my first attempt at a haibun. I am not sure if I did the form justice.

 

 

Written for MTB d’Verse