GUEST POST FROM TARA SUDHAKAR

I am in the mood for a guest post today! Introducing the new poet on the block - my daughter, Tara, who wrote this lovely poem three years back. I discovered it in my system only a month back and was amazed at the expression. Must have read it a hundred times since then! 

                                           

ODE TO THE SOUL

Drown in the river,

Oh soul of mine

Quench your thirst.

Be thou but a small

Harmless self that

Touches the heart of one

That is rendered homeless.

Be thou a leaf

That dances to the tunes

Of Mother nature

Whose cradle is

As much yours as another’s.

Be thou, silk worm

Whose selfless sacrifice

Yields clothing for heartless people

Who don’t understand life’s worth!!

Be thou a river

That flows through ages

Forever, endlessly

Carrying with you

The freshness and calmness

The very essence of life.

Be thou a ray of light

Whose beam lights up

One’s heart which

Had once lost the life and zest.

Be thou the trees

Whose shade revive

The life of many

Sweet, sweet little birdie.

Be thou a wall

Whose power one cannot penetrate

When cruel yet pleasing thoughts

Enter one’s mind.

Be thou the pen

Which writes down

What I say.

Be thou , the home of people

Be thou, the home of hearts.

 BY      

TARA SUDHAKAR                                                                                                               

(16 YRS)

I have eyes, but…

I cannot see flowers, I cannot see colours.

I cannot see people, things and places

I cannot see movement, I cannot see change.

But I know…

I know the rose by its fragrance

I know food by its taste

I know my mother by her footsteps.
And my father by his breath.
I know people by their voices.

I know birds from their calls and the flapping of their wings.

I know distance from sounds and noises

I know things by their feel

I know heat and cold by their feel

I know the sun by the warmth of the day.

I know the night by its coolness and silence.

I have eyes but I cannot see

I cannot see, but I KNOW!

Do you KNOW like I KNOW?

My would-be world

How nice it would be to walk on our head
Think on our feet and see with our nose
If, on the ceiling we could stretch out our bed
And when we sleep, our ears we close.

How nice it would be if the ceiling was the floor
And the floor was up where the ceiling was of old.
How nice to walk in through the window, not the door
How nice to have ice creams prescribed for a cold.

How nice it would be to stop time when we want
To talk in verse, and to walk in a sway
To keep lions and tigers as pets to flaunt
How nice if our schools made us only play!

When Jaya mami went to Mumbai
She searched high and low for a dish called dosai
She found a local junk called dosa
Whose taste did not please her
So she ran all the way back to Chennai!

Tiny's woes

A little boy called Tiny More
Skipped up to the Super Store
"I want lollies, candy, wafers, gum
Pizza, cool drinks, all things yum!"

The shopkeeper looked him up and down
And shook his head with a big, big frown!
"Candies and things aren't good for you
Pizza, gum - what a list, whew!"

"You are already fat and round
And your diet, little fellow, is quite unsound.
From junky snacks you must yourself wean
And I recommend fruits and salads green!"

"Milk and water are good for you
Fresh juices you could do with too!
Cut out the cheese, forget the butter
Abandon sweets and you'll feel better!"

Tiny cried out, "Boo-hoo-hoo
Every one nags me, must you too?
All I want is peace of mind
And that, I see, I can never find!"

A man from Assam called Bhrigu
Visited the dirty beach at Juhu
His frown was very big
and he danced an angry jig
As he said, "Clean this up before Bihu!"

A weird old ET from Jupiter
Came to Mumbai in a helicopter
Upon tasting chaat and bhel
He put up his copter for sale
And said, "I'll never go back to Jupiter!"