A CHILD’S AWAKENING

On the vast lawn
My child and I
Sit together
And observe Nature.

The child, for a moment,
Runs to the other end of the lawn
In order to extricate himself
Out of the gravitational pull
Of my love
And feel the whiff of
Divine love.

Then, he rushes back
Towards me
As if he has realized that
The Divine love is incomplete
Without the presence of human love
Springing from flesh and blood.

 

THE AMAZING GAP

A lone bird flying high above
Feels proud of
Having conquered the vast space,
Little does it realize that
It is only a tiny speck in the sky,
Or only a wave in the eternal sea.
As I behold it,
I am only reminded
Of the vastness of the empire
Yet to be traversed by it,
Like my own soul’s
Extent of unfinished
Spiritual flight.

IN SEARCH OF AN INVISIBLE BOATMAN

Lone  is the boat
In the mid-river;
Alone I stand
On the bank.
I want to go
To the other end,
But the boat
Will not come to me
Sans boatman.
So I build
A bridge of desire
Between me and the boat
And walk upon that bridge;
I keep on walking…
But I reach nowhere
And remain
Where I am
O, I am helpless,
For I cannot reach the boat,
Leave alone the other end!
O, where is the invisible boatman
I have ignored hitherto?

 

LIFE’S MOMENTS

Life’s tender moments
Are more tender than the delicate buds;
Life’s tense moments
Are more tense than the fierce battles;
Life’s gloomy moments
Are more gloomy than the darkest nights;
Life’s sweet memories
Are more sweet than the sweetest songs;
Life’s monotonous moments
Are more monotonous than the sprawling deserts;
And life’s peaceful moments
Are more peaceful than the sleeping mountains.

 

THE NOBLEST

An eagle flying high in the sky
Seems to be nobler than I,
For it lives in the Spirit of space.

A whale living beneath the sea
Seems to be nobler than I,
For it lives in the depths of Life.

But I claim to be noblest of all,
Though I neither soar nor dive,
For I alone can oscillate between Life and Spirit.

DAY AND NIGHT

Day gives me knowledge,
Night gives me wisdom;
Day keeps me in bondage,
Night gives me freedom.

Day gives me courage,
Night drowns me in fear;
Day acquaints with Nature,
Night brings Him near.