Wednesday, June 10, 2009

shi: At the Wild Waves Guest House



1

At the Wild Waves Guest House
              there are thatch-and-bamboo huts
Jai Ram! says the man from Khazakstan
                          he pours hot adarak chai
with raaga Todi   greet the morning
                                lingering on the notes
to transport you to Matrimandir
                            fetch a bicycle nearby
walk on sands the sea has pulverized
              breath the sea-breeze sans a sigh
a sunlit crystal awaits your gaze
                    be done with whys-and-whats
perhaps it's time to start a new painting?
                                  take a week and try
at the Wild Waves Guest House
              there are thatch-and-bamboo huts

2

Beneath Matrimandir   water gently flows
one sits a silent hour   in the inner chamber

how rare is the mind that its own nature knows
evanescent thoughts arising   without number

taut muscles   with due training   become limber
hid heart   albeit benighted   stirs and glows

amid torrid day crows cawing   harsh and somber
beneath Matrimandir   water gently flows

3

The restless ocean churns   day after day
the intrigue continues on   without conclusion

has the universe   so many things to say?
every utterance   embodies sheer illusion

the gestalt of our existence   is confusion
as vast as the oceanic Bengal Bay

if profound or vapid   thoughts form in profusion
the restless ocean churns   day after day


poem 1: Thursday, June 4
poem 2: Friday, June 5
poem 3: Friday, June 12

This sequence of 3 poems is itself a third such sequence -- the first being At Shridhar Shrigudda, and the second being At Tiruvannamalai. These sequences (may be said to) narrate a journey south -- from Bangalore (Sridhar Srigudda) to Tiruvannamalai to Auroville (Wild Waves Guest House).

3 comments:

Shilpa Bhatnagar said...

Wonderful to see you again on my blog, David. As I've said in response to your comment over at mine, I had a two year period of chaos where I let my creative side suffer. But no more. The blog is 6 months old and I'm loving every moment of it. Do keep visiting!

Julia Dutta said...

There is absolutely no doubt that the auroville matrimandir is by far one of the finest creation in architecture of meditation halls I have seen. Enjoy david!

David Raphael Israel said...

Ah, thanks Julia :-) -- we concur. Incidentally, I should (finally) be getting back to Bhopal after another 2 weeks or a bit less, inshallah ...
cheers,
d.i.