Sonnet: But Man is Wretched
The famished crow picks up the grains of rice,
Found in the drain-water near the kitchen;
Sometimes, it gets ripe fruits to eat, so nice,
Yet, takes much cleaner water than most men.
The parrots green need fruits and nuts to eat;
At times, they eat whatever seeds, they get;
They don't complain despite the summer’s heat;
They never curse their Maker, fume or fret.
Disgruntled Man is never contented;
He tries to eat those things he should not eat;
His life is not what God has intended;
He eats all things-mud, dirt, insects and peat.
Thus Birds behave so sweetly 'midst their strife;
But Man is never satisfied all life.
poem by John Celes
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A Request To The Dead
I offer this water to you,
my father, grandfather and great grandfather,
and to you, soldiers and generals
who fought for us and who fought against us
and who were killed by this war.
I stand here, on this battlefield,
and give this water and this rice to you—
you must be hungry and thirsty.
Ask for nothing
other than water and rice,
don't add to the long list
of things I was not able to give;
be content with this water and this rice
and return
to wherever you came from.
Consider this: the years
I have spent with you were many;
and this: it will not be long
before I join you wherever you sojourn.
Had I possessed things
other than this water and this rice,
would I have denied them to you
and asked you to return ?
Whatever I have
other than this water and this rice
are surely not appropriate offerings
for departed souls.
True, I traverse everyday of my life
with this baggage of witheld things,
but whenever I look at them
I disintegrate and cry out
with a voice that rends
the heavens
and the underworld.
Tears fill my eyes
when I make this offering
of water and rice.
I know, when my turn comes,
I shall have neither.
Look, the sun has almost set.
Now, go back to wherever you came from
with the little water and the little rice I gave you.
Look, I myself do not have
either any water or any rice.
Look, I have nothing except the few things
I didn't give
and kept with myself.
[Translated by the poet]
poem by Ramakanta Rath
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Maya
little brown birds with grey beaks and a patch of black
on their heads
three of them
drinking water on a pond of water created
by the little rain this morning
as i go near them
they all look at me and then in a sudden
they all fly away leaving some ripples in the
muddled pond
i never think of them as my enemies
they all leave at once
i do not have a gun
or a club or a slingshot
what i have in my hands are rice grains, nothing but rice grains
yes, rice grains for all of them
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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The Kettle
There’s many a house of grandeur,
With turret, tower and dome,
That knows not peace or comfort,
And does not prove a home.
I do not ask for splendour
To crown my daily lot,
But this I ask – a kitchen
Where the kettles always hot.
If things are not all ship-shape,
I do not fume or fret,
A little clean disorder
Does not my nerves upset.
But one thing is essential,
Or seems so in my thought,
And that’s a tidy kitchen
Where the kettle’s always hot.
In my Aunt Hattie’s household,
Though skies outside are drear,
Though times are dark and troubled,
You’ll always find good cheer.
And in her quaint old kitchen –
The very homiest spot –
The kettle’s always singing,
The water’s always hot.
And if you have a headache,
Whate’er the hour may be,
There is no tedious waiting
To get your cup of tea.
I don’t know how she does it –
Some magic she has caught –
For the kitchen’s cool in summer,
Yet the kettle’s always hot.
Oh, there’s naught else so dreary
In household kingdom found
As a cold and sullen kettle
That does not make a sound.
And I think that love is lacking
In the hearts in such a spot,
Or the kettle would be singing
And the water would be hot.
poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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Watch out the GM..the Genetically Modified..
bought few Guava fruits,
as these looked so cute,
plumb, polished and glossy,
Hoped it would be juicy.
Seeds retrieved and sowed,
germinated sprout not flawed,
water it regularly,
a desire of getting plenty.
Ten years gone as the lies and cheats,
of the bureaucrats and technocrats,
Staying as a hopeful citizens,
looking at the tree for fruition.
fifteen feet high big tree,
bore only one in the third year,
that was offered to God,
as the bribery for future yield.
What is the necessity to make.
the living things to be impotent,
to have glossy and marketable items?
Are the mutated things have life in them?
God crested the life in the living things,
which mean that they can reproduce,
To get the bounty of livestock, grains and vegetables,
what right have we, to sterilize and create life redundants?
poem by Veeraiyah Subbulakshmi
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4. Elements – Water
Water an elemental
Water a fundamental
Building block of life
Water of Life
Water of Death
Water in all religions
Water in all living things
Water in all countries
Water also used for barter
No life without water
No rife with water
No respect for water
Willful neglect of water
Water, for cooking
Water, for cleaning
Water, for drinking
Water, for living
Water, for dying
Water is the same
In all languages
Water is the same
To all living beings
poem by Anand Dixit
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The virtuous fertilizer
You fertile the soil
And the tree grows well.
Fruits ripe and smell
The wingless unkind human birds in thrill.
They taste the fruits and saliva spill
Afterward throw the seeds ill will.
And the human dignity go through the mill.
* If this rare bird could fly?
poem by Nimal Dunuhinga
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The Passion Fruits
there were too many passion
fruits in the garden
of my Papa
it is a vine that climbs
atop trees
covering them
they all fall this summer
these ripe passion fruits that most of our neighbors
know nothing about
how they taste what is their use
&
as a consequence of that ignorance
no one takes a passion fruit
for a cold refreshing juice this summer
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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God cares for all Creatures
The guava sapling planted has grown big;
The tree is laden with ripe fruits many;
How many can I pluck or eat each day?
Lie fruits unseen at heights, I cannot reach.
I see the parrots enjoy tasty fruits;
I see the squirrels gnaw the fine ripe ones;
I see bats with voracious appetites;
And many more fall down by force of winds.
God fills the tree with fruits for each season;
Man cannot eat all fruits the tree can bear;
God feeds each bird of the air with care;
He made them all and that’s the chief reason.
When God can feed His other creatures well,
So many human beings starve to death;
Oh, what a man-made tragedy, we see,
As tons of food goes rotten every day!
God loves all human beings even more
Than all His other creatures whom He made;
Both food and drink turn scarce by acts of men;
Why blame God for our misdemeanor, then?
Copyright by Dr John Celes 4-3-2008
poem by John Celes
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Sonnet-In Melancholia
'Tis Summer-time this year in its peak form;
There is no sign of leaves green, buds or flow’rs;
One's sweaty-skin could raise exanthems warm;
with water scarce, none can afford good show’rs.
Dry drumstick-fruits hang down from twigs so dry;
Papaya tree has not a single fruit;
The Moon has turned shapeless tonight;
I cry; ' The sky has clouds that look as black as soot.”
The place is airless; there's no noise of Birds;
My Allergy has reached a sorry stage;
And all I eat is rice with pickles, curds;
A battle 'gainst Nature, how can I wage?
Yet, things are settling down in God’s queer ways;
I feel as though these are my last sad days.
poem by John Celes
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Water Of Life
Meaning of Water Of Life:
We all tend to forget what it means to have water in life and that what life is all about. Water that we use today for every works of life but yet still how many people appreciate Water. Drinking Water pro-long the human life spern but some of us tend to neglect it.
Whatever you do in life you need water,
Attaining to the water of life you have to show
That and prove that you need that water.
Edurance is important as you go along in becoming a
Righteous one.
Often times we strive but at the same time
Forget about the teachings and guidiance of our maker.
Lifting Him up is all he ask from humans but we ignore that, why
Insufficient instructions that the leaders of the world (Christian) mostly
Forgetfully intend for others not to know about.
Enforcement on his side will make us believe.
By DJones.
poem by Dalton Jones
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The World of Chaos
When things don't happen as we want in life,
Must we then fret and fume and worry much?
When things go wrong, must we complain to God?
Just think about those more unfortunate!
Our earthly life has ups and downs for all;
The God of fairness cares for all creatures;
But man has made the earth sadder to live;
Why blame the God of goodness for our strife?
Millions of people can't afford one meal;
Many live shelterless and half-naked;
The middle class is burdened by much tax;
Elected leaders enjoy power and pelf.
The common man in misery is found;
Heinous crimes keep mounting high every day;
Basic amenities are denied to most;
If Nature works untimely, all is lost!
And man forgets the God who provides him;
He does not thank the Giver for His grace;
Men think they achieve things by own efforts;
Their hearts seek God when troubles afflict them!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 9-9-2012
poem by John Celes
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The survival instincts
Flowers take colours to invite insects.
Ripe fruits take colours to draw animals.
As buds they are green to hide behind leaves
Lest they be eaten before they mature.
Survival instinct is unique to life.
24.01.2012
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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The last thing I have, to offer you
Not long back
I was standing tall with
My branches spread
Upwards, downwards and
In all directions sideward
It was green all around my trunk
My leaves glittering in the bright sun
They fell just after winter
Only to strike again with full vigour
I used to blossom in yellow
With pendant like red dots in the middle
And my flowers shared in secret
The whispers of young lovers in my town
Some offered my flowers to their gods
And felt blessed by the divine
These flowers attracted insects
And colourful butterflies
Who returned intoxicated
Totally nectar drunk
I bore cherry red fruits
They were feast to sparrows
Squirrels and crows
Children of the town
Squeezed my fruits
And enjoyed the sweet flesh
Coated over the big seed inside
My branches housed nests
With young birds waiting for
Their mother's return to feed them
And my thin branches helped
These young birds launch their
First flights under their mother’s guard
At times over my dark rough bark
Snakes ran up to the nests
To prey on the eggs and young ones
I was happy never once these snakes succeeded
My roots were ever busy
Tapping soil nutrients and
Sending them up to each of my tip
My leaves waved and ensured
Regular flow of oxygen rich cool air
Adding comfort to those who chose
To rest a while beneath my mammoth shadow
It was all pleasure for me
To see many around me in comfort
With whatever I can offer to them
All these came to a sudden end
When an unkind lightning struck me
I received the shock of my life
A hot wave ran through the entire me
From the top to the root bottom
And what happened
All functions in me
Came to an abrupt end
My leaves turned yellow and brown
To leave me and they fell in silence
My branches dried and turned black
The fruits did not ripe
I started drying up with no more
Supply of water from the ground
I am stark naked standing like a
Threatening skeleton
Birds, insects and people
Do not visit me
Am I turning useless
But let people know I have some thing
Also to offer
Delay further not and cut me
Burn me and enjoy the warmth
Of my heat and of my burning heart
The last thing I have, to offer you
poem by Bashyam Narayanan
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Hunger, The Pang
Our mother earth gives
For one good grain sown
Hundreds of fresh grains
For our food in return.
How many sweet fruits
For a life time she gives
For one seed she takes
As one tree it grows?
Any animal on the land
Or any bird on the air
For its morrow's food
Does it take all the care?
For the food on the ground
How a crow makes a sound
Of 'caw' to call crows around
Just to share what it found?
When big cooked rice balls
An elephant in its mouth takes
A part of it on the floor spills
That feeds hundreds of ants.
But when a have on this earth
For his self, the food he hoards,
Doesn't the have-not's mouth
Go unfed for days countless?
The food in a pompous feast
A junk of it goes as rubbish.
If this goes to the poor atleast
Will that not fulfill God's wish?
The worst pain in the world
Is what the hunger gives
But this can be solved
If all follow the crows.
poem by Rajaram Ramachandran
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Fruits Of The Tree
What fruits we have!
Glittering with evil,
To shed innocent blood,
Shining with greed,
And we end in comfort that lasts only a moment
What fruits we bare!
Lost in ambition and passion
That we preach prosperity and success
As if they last an eternity
Swelling with pride that lasts a stint
Fruits of the tree
That the master has planted.
They can choose to ripen, or to stay raw!
They can choose to rot, or to stay ripe!
But, every fruit stands the test of time.
In the end, Ripe with truth and love,
Victory is imminent.
Rotten with deception and hatred,
Destruction waits:
The fruits from the tree of life
poem by Timothy muggaga
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Sonnet: Why Do I Change My Clinics Frequently?
Why do I start my clinics everywhere?
So far, I have not found the answer yet;
Perhaps, I have to pray and bless the air!
Perhaps, God tests me if I fume and fret.
Whatever happens, I must take with cheer;
In everything I do, God has a plan;
The will of God is not well-known, I fear;
God moulds and shapes to be a better man.
The things that happen to me are so queer;
Nevertheless, I praise the Lord, my God;
My life on earth to me is very dear;
My soul is precious to my Maker, Lord.
I do not ask the ‘whys’ of things these days;
God is my friend, guide, protector always!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 8-22-2007
poem by John Celes
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For We Are The Trees Bearing So Much Fruits
For we are trees
That bear so many fruits
We are lucky
Our seeds fall of fertile grounds
Our branches grafted
On healthy trunks
Our fruits are ripe
Everyone gathers
We have no right to ask them
Who they are
Their names do not matter
Not even their character
We cannot refuse giving
Them all
Lest we perish
And die....
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Eatting Fruits
Eat fruits
Eat...
Every day...
Each
Break fast...
Lunch...
Dinner...
Eat...
Fruits...
Fruits is
Good for health...
Fruits is
Good for Taste
Fruits is
Good for mind...
Fruits is
Good for god...
So...
Fruits is
Good for hole and
Hoe body...
Any fruits...
Any time...
Eat eat eat...
Avoide all all
Disease...
Thats all...
poem by Otteri Selvakumar
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We Decided To Cut Some Trees
we planted the seeds together
we were thinking of fruits
for our children
we were thinking of the shade
where they can
in the future play
then the fruits in bounty came
mangoes loaded
and some water apples
shining on the twigs
the fruits ripen and some birds
came and ate them
the fruits ripen and some fell
on the ground and some
worms came and ate them
the trees get tired finally of the
seasons
flowering, fruiting, falling and
rotting and trying to
repeat the cycle all over
again
for years and years
we got old of waiting for something
new and exciting
we got bored of the fruits
the children of the neighbors
got married and left the place
we got old and tired and this day
we decided to cut the trees
some for the first time
we are too shaded
we want to see light come
we want to know what sunshine is
again, after all those years
of coldness and darkness under
the shady trees
perhaps, this is something new now
light and sun and another way to look
at our lives
something exciting something to open
to see blue skies to see the full moon
to feel warmth to let the worms sing
to see some precious stones
hidden all these years in our common paths
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Green And Red
Colors we love and make
Most prominent are
Green and Red
Since we are made from
the green of plants
filled with chlorophill
and we made
Of haemomoglobin
Deriving from fruits
Nuts and grains of plants
And the birds and animals
Who eat them, we cannot
Survive without the green
In this blue planet
Full of trees, plants and grass
To end up in them
Through the soil
Which feeds all colors
So dear to eyes and brains.
Ravikiran Arakkal
poem by Ravikiran Arakkal
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