Bhuvaneshwari Shankar's Blog, page 4

[Poem] Childhood in Chennai

#GloPoWriMo Day-2 prompt takes a leaf from Schuyler’s book to write a poem about a specific place —  a particular house or store or school or office. Here I write about a place I lived in, in Chennai.


I remember running, walking, dilly dallying countless timesThe West Circular Road Carefully avoiding the large kolams that adorned each home The wide, neem treelined roadWhere we played and rode bicycles crisscross.
In the pocket kerchief garden in the front yard Grew an assortment of wild grass Which my friends and I would pound In makeshift mortars of crushed graniteFill up little coloured clay pots of pink and greenPainted with silver floral patterns With the green mess and call it food.Or played, hide and seek, hopscotch-Lakshmi, the cleft lipped Anandhi and I. Sometimes our play was arrested midwayWhen the local bully made us his prey.
In the afternoons I would run can in hand To the milk vendor five buildings awayWait in line for milk that was measured and poured From aluminum buckets resting on a milk stained benchWhile his wife stood fanning away hovering house flies I would walk carefully back to mum Watching me from the gateThen the afternoon coffee would be made
All through the day Vendors would come pushing wooden carts Of vegetables, salt, puffed rice Calling out their wares in strange tonesWhich, we would mimic, giggling
In the evenings the flower seller came Calling out varieties of jasmine Firecracker, dhavanam, basil and rose I would get a rose, if I had been good
Some evenings were tough As the musicians in the house opposite Practiced. The adults shushed us to hear their songsThat floated in the breeze like incense.
The road grew quiet by eight  The road slumbered in the light of dim streetlamps Except on the nights The soapapdi wala came with his insistent bell
This was my childhoodWhen Chennai was still Madras
(sans the mad rush of today) Time was a currency I had in plenty I spent it all in discovery and at will
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[Poem] The Hummingbird

The Hummingbird
Every day I watched her
Through my window
I mistook her for a large butterfly
Flitting vigorously
Among the red orange and pink flowers
Her tiny frame fluttering furiously
Then one day she came in
Perhaps through the same window
Or an open door? I cannot tell
I heard a faint whirring
Like pages of a book flickering
There she was her beak abrasively rubbing
The glass. I watched entranced
I prayed she would sense the breeze
That flowed through the open window
But she stayed. I tried to nudge her out
She sashayed all over the walls
I could tell she was tiring
My anxiety grew
I got on a ladder and went closer
I would nudge her out with a pole
Or she would fall dead knocked out cold
After a few tries she was finally free
I saw her fly out thankfully

I survey the red orange pink flowers each morning
Hoping to find a tiny long beaked form fluttering

[Poem] Ironing

Each morning the day Lies in a crinkled mess Crumpled and uneven Like the duvet That cradled my dreams
Through eyes half wakefulI tug, tuck, iron it with my hands
The chaos of the day waits for its turnAt the ironing board
The checklists in my head Glow in an infuriated pitch The creases scream for order Through I know some will rustle and escape in the wind
Only to rumple up and grin Just when I think that I’m all done

#Napowrimo2020#Prompt 1#ActionMetaphorSelfPortrait
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[Poem] Ring Out Wild Bells (An Adaptation of Tennyson's poem of the same title)

                
Ring out wild bells to the germ layered sky,The contagion, the ferocious night:The world is engulfed in darkness;Ring out wild bells, let the virus die.
Ring out the pestilence, ring in the new,Ring, happy bells, a happy tomorrowThe plague is thriving, arrest its flow;Ring out the fear, ring in the hope.
Ring out the anguish that saps the mindFor those that were here but are no more;Ring out the dominion of rich over poor,Ring in a world where life is a treasure.
 Ring out petty, silly squabbles, Outmoded causes and struggles;Ring in wiser, loftier thought,With sensitive, empathetic laws.
Ring out greed, selfishness, the sin,The foolhardy godlessness of the times; Ring out the pestilence that walksBrazen, unrestrained in our midst.
Ring out false information that spreadsWilder than wildfire, its tentacles cleave hopeRing in the love of truth and right,  Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out pollution of land, water, air;Ring out the melting polar ice capsRing out the loss of habitat of fellow creatures,Ring out contamination, the warming of our earth.
Ring in the angels clad in white coats,The knights who struggle to keep us afloat;Ring out the darkness sweeping across the land,Ring in the sunshine of a healed tomorrow!

Send out waves of positivity! Let Shanthi return to the world. <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:8.0pt; margin-left:0cm; line-height:107%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} p.MsoHeader, li.MsoHeader, div.MsoHeader {mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-link:"Header Char"; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; tab-stops:center 234.0pt right 468.0pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} p.MsoFooter, li.MsoFooter, div.MsoFooter {mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-link:"Footer Char"; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; tab-stops:center 234.0pt right 468.0pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} span.HeaderChar {mso-style-name:"Header Char"; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-locked:yes; mso-style-link:Header;} span.FooterChar {mso-style-name:"Footer Char"; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-locked:yes; mso-style-link:Footer;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:11.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:8.0pt; line-height:107%;}size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}</style></div><style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}</style></div>

[Poem] Ring in (An Adaptation of Tennyson's poem of the same title)

                
Ring out wild bells to the germ layered sky,The flying worm, the ferocious night:The world is engulfed in darkness;Ring out wild bells, let the virus die.
Ring out the pestilence, ring in the new,Ring, happy bells, a happy tomorrowThe contagion is thriving, arrest his flow;Ring out the fear, ring in the hope.
Ring out the anguish that saps the mindFor those that were here but are no more;Ring out the dominion of rich over poor,Ring in a world where life is a treasure.
 Ring out petty, silly squabbles, Outmoded causes and struggles;Ring in wiser, loftier thought,With sensitive, empathetic laws.
Ring out greed, selfishness, the sin,The foolhardy godlessness of the times; Ring out the pestilence that walksBrazen, unrestrained in our midst.
Ring out false information that spreadsWilder than wildfire, its tentacles cleave hopeRing in the love of truth and right,  Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out pollution of land, water, air;Ring out the melting polar ice capsRing out the loss of habitat of fellow creatures,Ring out contamination, the warming of our earth.
Ring in the angels clad in white coats,The knights who struggle to keep us all safe;Ring out the darkness sweeping across the land,Ring in the sunshine of a healed tomorrow!

Send out waves of positivity! Let Shanthi return to the world. <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:8.0pt; margin-left:0cm; line-height:107%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} p.MsoHeader, li.MsoHeader, div.MsoHeader {mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-link:"Header Char"; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; tab-stops:center 234.0pt right 468.0pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} p.MsoFooter, li.MsoFooter, div.MsoFooter {mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-link:"Footer Char"; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; tab-stops:center 234.0pt right 468.0pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} span.HeaderChar {mso-style-name:"Header Char"; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-locked:yes; mso-style-link:Header;} span.FooterChar {mso-style-name:"Footer Char"; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-locked:yes; mso-style-link:Footer;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:11.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:8.0pt; line-height:107%;}size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}</style></div><style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}</style></div>

[Book Review] Nithya Rajagopal's Than-Thana-Thom

 
Than-Thana-Thom, a book of four short stories by Nithya Rajagopal is an amazing little book on Amazon Kindle.
The highlight of the book is how Nithya has created characters that stand out and stay with you long after you have finished reading the book. The second highlight is her felicity with enunciating the local flavour of Tamil Nadu through her language and through her focus on customs and traditions that are typical to the state.
The stories are peopled with interesting main and supporting characters and Nithya has carefully chosen appropriate settings to showcase them.
Each of these stories holds a secret which leaves the reader in a 'feel good' factor state after the unraveling. To say anything more would be a spoiler and therefore I would stop with one line descriptions of each of the stories.
The Idiot of Arayapatti is a story of promise and discovery.
The Pious Priest is a tongue in cheek title and is my favourite.
A Wedding in Kovilpatti unfolds a surprise wedding.
Flower Factory is an endearing tale.
I wish Nithya the best in her writing journey and eagerly look forward to more of her writing.

[Short Story] Eros

                                                           

                                                            Eros 


As he made his way over the rocks of the much-traversed path of the mountain, Madan thought over the events of the past few days.
One by one, his mind replayed the things that had gone terribly wrong in the exact sequence, increasing his frustration. He tried consciously to blot them out. He tried hard to concentrate on other happier memories. Like the time when they celebrated the positive results at the lab or the evening at the science expo where he had met Ragini for the first time. Their first kiss upon the beach in the quaint seaside town.
But try as he might, he felt the dejection, the anger, the rage, return. What hurt the most was how he had let down his loved ones. His father’s words rang in his ears. ‘Son, of what use is my money, if it doesn’t aid you now? Take everything and return it in installments so your mother and I can live independantly, as we age.’ Madan had laughed and replied, ‘Baba, this is the nonsurgical cure for arthritis that the world has been waiting for. I’ll double the sum at the very least and return it to you!’ Ragini had pawned all of her jewels, without a second thought to pay for the marketing.
But what has seemed so promising at the experimental stage had tanked at the launch. His close friend and co-founder had ignored a crucial detail which surfaced then.  The scientific community accused Madan of fabricating the results. Heroically he took the entire blame upon himself but as he went down, he lost everything – his reputation as a scientist and the company that he had labored so hard to build. Now there was no turning back.
As he climbed jaggedly across the uneven rocks, he stubbed his toe. It began to bleed. The pain was intense. He laughed hysterically which echoed all around him. What would it feel like, when he took the actual plunge over the edge, would he hear his bones break? Would his death be instantaneous, or would he writhe in pain till he passed out? But the thought of physical pain seemed less severe than a lifetime of shame and regret.
He looked around, he had reached the summit despite the bleeding toe, which had gone numb from the pain. Poised at the brink with one foot firmly planted on the ground he stared apprehensively at the deep gorge below. He saw a tangled web of vines, dry brush and bramble amid the rocks and pebbles of the hillside.
He took a deep breath and let himself fall; a shrill scream escaped his lips.  To his surprise, though, he found his bruised hands clutching at a thick vine that was embedded in the vegetation. He was surprised to find that his body was not willing to let go of life all that easily. The vine dislodged bit by bit like a buried rope preventing his fall and he found himself landing feet first, on a ledge. His heart was pounding wildly, blood oozed onto his torn clothes from the many cuts in his body.
He sat at the ledge, woefully out of breath, his hand still held onto the vine. It looked brown and lifeless. Yet, surprisingly, it had taken on his body weight and prevented his fall. He found its roots growing close to the ledge. To his utter surprise, he found sections that were turning green. Nature, it seemed, never gives up the fight. Never dies voluntarily. Dead plants spring up after the slightest rain. Dormant seeds sprout life. As he stared at the root he smiled for the first time and found the heaviness dissipate.
Fate had given him a second chance at living.  Contrary to what people said, it did take courage to take one’s life but what is even more courageous is to fight back. Death would have been a quick end to his agony, but would have caused his parents, his Ragini, a lifetime of misery. He would live, he would fight and if he fought back hard enough, his fortune too might give him a second chance.
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A burning sun Jaunts across the earthAll day and part of ...

A burning sun
Jaunts across the earth
All day and part of the night
Leeching water from every pore
Parched throats clamour for refill
Dust storms rise
False rain mists dusty windows at night

I am a tortoise in a shell-

Through drooping lids I dream
Of a balmy breeze 
Lacing its Spring fingers through my hair
The flowers compete
Waging a war of scents 
Plaguing every sense 

Pathways glow 
With soft petals of every hue
The bees sing and dance in a ring
No fear of a sting
The leaves sport all shades of green
As they preen under a gentle sun
The rising dew sprinkles generous droplets
Over petal and leaf goblets

Children play all day
Their voices bouncing on the  green
And laughter springs from every swing 
If only 
All of earth had Spring and only Spring

[Poem] A Home upon the Hill

                                                          Image:thomaskinkade.com

I will build a home upon the hill
With windows for every sun
Each room with mountain air shall fill
And night and day will be as one.

The fragrant air so wholesome
With shades of
Eucalyptus, pine and balsam
Will make a confluence
Of every room.

In Spring time flowers will bloom
In Summer the drones will moan
Punch drunk on pure nectar
Teetering to the honeycomb 
In Autumn the colours will flow
The world will dance
And fall in a trance
From the crystal shine of the Winter's snow.

Bird song will waken the day
And cicadas will lull it to sleep
The warbling stream
Will feed an afternoon's dream
Where the muse will descend
Her song to lend

Our blended song shall delight
The blaze of moon blanched nights

This poem was originally published in Destiny Poets UK

[Poem] Computer Games

In the night
you come
In to my world
A king
To the women's quarter
Except
Your buzz
A loud blip on the monitor
your name flashes and blinks
Repeatedly
An irritant traffic beacon
I pause awhile
Watching your name

Then the lying games begin
'Are you awake?'
'About to fall asleep'
'Thought I could chat
But if you are sleepy...'
'Another time perhaps...'
The flashing ends -
 I sink into my bed
Wide awake