Three Poems for WORM 22

1.
Manifestation

Those changing figures of clouds
- dark, grotesque, and beautiful -
reveal the blue sky behind;
likewise words in a story book
describe events of a blank life.

Those raindrops -
pure, clear, and cool -
bring peace to parched earth;
likewise the drop in your eye
offers solace to a famished soul.

And then the rainbow!
as light penetrates misty clouds;
likewise you reveal yourself
when a flood of tears
touches your feet.
--

2.
Problems of Poverty

The rickshaw came to a halt
and the puller heaved a sigh.
She paid the money,
and as got down in hurry
her sari found a protruding nail;
the tear caused an estimated loss
of about rupees five hundred.

"I'm sorry, madam,' apologized
the rickshaw-man.

The lady was not sure whether
to scold or not to scold;
the dilemma showed as a tear
in her eye.

"Oh, man, what have you done?"

The rickshaw-puller flattened the nail
with a nearby stone, and said:
"Mm, I'll take you home, free,
and drop you again here
after you change your attire."

"No, Baba, that's not the worry;
the point is -
the sari belongs to a friend."
--

3.
Meeting the Partner

The tear at precipice held a shadow
of a flying crow across the dying sun
- black against red;
words were unable
to portray emotions,
thoughts are colorless on their own.

I felt incomplete, alone,
feared the shadow of a dancing oak
across the still lake
- black against silver;
words unable to capture the reflection,
thoughts have no form of their own.

That reassuring touch,
as I looked up with misty eyes;
laughter across your face
- pure and simple,
enough to establish a relation;
thoughts have language of their own.
--

c s shah