Poetry

The Panther

The Panther
 — Rainer Maria Rilke (translated by Douglas Pinson)

His worldview from the constantly moving bars
Has become predictable, boring and cannot hold
Anything more. The black cat sees a
Thousand bars, and beyond the bars, nothingness.

So, you want to be a writer?

This is intended as a note to self.

if it doesn’t come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don’t do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don’t do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at…

On children

Khalil Gibran was a wise man. An excerpt from ‘The prophet’.

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, “Speak to us of Children.”

And he said:

Your children are not your children.

The last ride together.

THE LAST RIDE TOGETHER

by: Robert Browning (1812–1889)

I said — Then, dearest, since ’tis so,
 Since now at length my fate I know,
 Since nothing all my love avails,
 Since all, my life seem’d meant for, fails,
 Since this was written…

Instants

If I could live again my life,
In the next — I’ll try,
- to make more mistakes,
I won’t try to be so perfect,
I’ll be more relaxed,
I’ll be more full — than I am now,
In fact, I’ll take fewer things seriously,
I’ll be less hygienic,
I’ll take more risks,
I’ll take more trips,
I’ll watch more sunsets,
I’ll climb…

Two Ustads

Rumi. Persian poet, philosopher.

I used to be shy.
You made me sing.

I used to refuse things at table.
Now I shout for more wine.

In somber dignity, I used to sit
on my mat and pray.

Now children run…

Toad

Why should I let the toad work
Squat on my life?
Can’t I use my wit as a pitchfork
And drive the brute off?

Six days of the week it soils
With its sickening poison -
Just for paying a few bills!
That’s out of…

Char oli

Sagar pohat bahubalane, naav tayasi milo na milo re,

Swayech jo tejonidhi tarani, tad gruhi deep jalo na jalo re.

Jo Kari Karm Ahetu, Ved Tayas Kalo Na Kalo Re