The following Poet-in-Residence poem is for the inspirational Indian poet R K Singh. Hope you enjoy it R K!
The Guardians
With the croaking frogs
and the jambu trees
we share moonlight, fruit
and flies.
With our bamboo flutes
we call upon
celestial lords
with powers to come
and then we fall
on the floor
like sticks.
The guardians sit
on their lotus thrones
and slap their arms
and thighs
and the nagas swim
in the seas of milk
and never ending
noise.
______________
gwilliams 2009
12 comments:
I like that first verse (stanza?)
because it mixes the good and the bad - the moonlight and the flies.
I don't know the poet you honour but I admire your workmanship as always.
Lot of R K Singh material on PiR. He's in the LINKS too. Interesting character with exotic Indian poetry deep as a New Delhi street in the rainy season.
I'll borrow one of Singh's poems to stand in as my comment -
The poem:
Ripe on the branches
mangoes fall one by one
end of the season
Thanks for the introduction.
Hi Gwilym: Your introduction of R K Singh to The Weaver of Grass-- "...deep as a New Delhi street in the rainy season"-- made me smile. I love this more than the poem you've composed for me.
I also appreciate Mairi's (ironical) comment, but let me assure you we'll both be around for another decade or so to justify our poetic worth!
R K
Mairi, Nice comment for you from R K Singh - We may be fallen mangoes but we're not finished yet!
R K, You and I both know who the guardians of poetry are (and are not)! It's beats along a little bit like 'Jabberwocky' if you read it aloud. It relates, as you my suspect, to your mysterious non-inclusion in Bloodaxe's so-called contemporary Indian anthology - a subject of which I've written previously on this blog.
I'm glad I made you smile.
You're welcome, dear Friend.
R K
Hi Gwilym: Your review of my collection appears in the South Asia Mail, 27 May 2009. The link:
http://www.southasiamail.com/news.php?id=34327
All the best
R K
Thank you R K. I'll take a look at the South Asia Mail website.
On another subject - today's 'Bard on the Run' comment was prompted by recent events at the Sikh temple here in Vienna.
Best,
gwilym
Hi Gwilym, Your review of my Sexless Solitude and other poems has now appeared in Saouth Asia Mail. You may like to view it:
http://www.southasiamail.com/news.php?id=34327
All the best
R K
Thanks RK, I've now had a look at the corrected version. With best wishes, Gwilym.
-ps: We had an enjoyable visit from 2 Indian poets recently. I put it on the blog 2 days ago. There's also a bit more to come.
Post a Comment