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Contemplative, Balachandran V, in English Clear filters

ContemplativeBalachandran V

I, the pawn

Like a sullen orb of mercury He sprawls across the chessboard Shapeless, Surrendered, to be shaped As destiny wills him to be. Earth trembles, The board shakes; Sluggish, he slithers From one square to another. Wind blasts, The board shivers; He slides from PQ2 to PQ4. Fire spreads, The board burns; He waits, untouched, Watching the curling
ContemplativeBalachandran V

Cannot Delete: Access Denied

Once in a while you have to clean your system. Empty the Recycle Bin, Clean up and defrag the disks. Files accumulated over the past Move crumpled into the bin And then to oblivion. It would be nice To have a hard disk instead of a brain Where fungus-ridden memories grow maggots Eating into my soul.
ContemplativeBalachandran V

Meltdown

Is every grain of sand Different from the other? I do not know. Is every drop of water Different from the other? I do not know. But I do know That every snowflake Is different from the other Just as every man differs from the other. How like snowflakes are we! Both appear from nowhere But from somewhere the same Falling, falling we come down Lying on a rock or in a glacier Or on the riverbank here
ContemplativeBalachandran V

Immortality

Its spine broken and torn Leaves left devoured by silverfish, Corners crumbling with age - My hands tremble as I open the book. Carefully, tenderly, I turn the frontispiece - Shabby, tattered yet holding up together With a dignity that only books can have - I shake out the dust and faecal matter. The book is still silent, slightly embarrassed But not showing any - Like my mother, paralysed As I clean her with wet cotton blobs. In the left corner of the first page The book said - ‘With all good wishes to my son’ Signed, my father, forty years ago.
ContemplativeBalachandran V

Good Evening

There is kindness in the air today. Sunlight bright, yet soft; Wind strong, yet breezy; Earth alive, yet sleepy. There is grace in the air today. In the shade and light Trees sparkle and dance Crows muse, sitting on the posts. There is music in the air today. The chorus of the leaves As the wind blows through them In rhythmic waves of love. Through the window, across the trees Over the high rise, the sky is blue In unseen strings suspended, Kites hover; swift fly past Swifts.
ContemplativeBalachandran V

Narcissus

Eyes closed, I lie on my back Following their arms mentally As the masseurs run their fingers Pressing, squeezing, rubbing in The warm oil all over me. From the sole of my feet, up Through the ankles, calves, knees And thighs, passing deftly My privates and up to the torso My hairy, broad chest, shoulders And the nape of my neck. The loincloth barely leaves me clothed. As the masseur's fingers and then the pouch Filled with medicinal leaves soaked in starchy fluid Spread warmth all over me, I wonder if I might get an erection;
ContemplativeBalachandran V

Coming of Age

The vine danced in the wind. Swinging gently, the young one thought 'This is life; I will soon be an adult I will take in many lovers I will have offsprings in thousands This beautiful land and brook mine'. Above, on the low-hanging branch Sat a Bee-eater, sharpening his beak His eyes had a kindness one could not fathom As he gazed on the young dragonfly.
ContemplativeBalachandran V

Afterwards

The pain comes much later, first in trickles, then in torrents Washing off, cleansing Wounds, hurts, the memories The thoughts of should-haves and should-have-nots. First to heal are those festering, anger for What they did - and did not. Then, those of regret of what you did - and did not. Then, like a sunbeam breaking out through the clouds The realization that everything
ContemplativeBalachandran V

Blue and Black

Among a cradle of leaves A frog sits facing away from me. Green leaves, touched with faint morning dew. The brook by the side is dry. A butterfly flitters, faint beats of the wing Ruffle the leaves. No flowers, no drip of water drops. Even the wind is still. I peer among the bushes Vainly for a glimpse of a damselfly Blue and black, who should be here. I, the man, who beat everything Blue and black.
ContemplativeBalachandran V

In the Open

A deep sigh escapes my lips, as in the morning I empty a full bladder, leaning to the coconut palm. Nothing more pleasurable than to empty oneself Of urine and from one’s mind, yesterday’s thoughts. I blush; a Black Drongo on the wires turns Its head to look at me; a Magpie Robin trills a song. The Kingfisher, hops down on a branch Above my head and shakes his, as if in disapproval. High above, against the darkening sky The dragonflies swarm and circle Bracing for the long journey ahead. When do I, begin mine?

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