THE GIFT OF HEAVEN

 

                  

                                         

                             

                    

 1.               A gift of heaven indeed this blessed state

To soothe our tired and troubled mind;

Indeed, God is so generous and kind

He is our never-failing everlasting mate;

Sleep makes us forget for a while our trivial things;

To forget deep buried unseen stings;

Even the utmost sinner forgets his flaws

In this undeciphered realm beyond our laws.

 

2.        On wings of fancy in sleep we fly

Conjuring new worlds that match with our desires;

We may reach highest zenith or bottomless mires;

We jump with joy or fear-stricken we cry;

Our tricky mind weaves a magic veil

Unperceived strange things she doth reveal;

We fulfill our wishes unfulfilled which we conceal;

A strange way of healing ourselves we feel.

 

3.        Evil dreams play havoc with our mind

Like naughty goblins mocking at night;

Dreadful dreams like thieves make us jump with fright

Our thoughts unrecognized lurk behind

Assuming frightening forms ruffle our sleep

We can’t explain or see their meanings deep

Evil thoughts and acts never leave us to enjoy respite

True peace we rarely feel--- not claimed as our right.

4.        Our tricky mind, the ringmaster a vital role plays

In this game of dream-disturbed night

True dreamless sleep, the prime gift of full delight

An image of inner peace of a pure mind, displays

A flash of our spotless soul in mysterious ways

A gift of heaven to say in brief

A few self-purging moments, give us relief.

Some dreams show our prospects as if to say “Beware”

Some dreams dissolve like vapor, left nothing to share.

 

5.        Some dreams, a prelude for creative work of art

Some dreams instruct us to change and transform

Some reveal the unexplored regions calm

Sound sleep opens our soul and the mystic chart

Of worlds unknown and strange secrets reveal

A sense of weight, unburthened of our worries we feel

Guilty minds with corrupt thoughts restless remain

Far away from sleep and her dreamy domain.  

 

6.        As age advances, we feel the burden of our past

Events reflected bizarre on our mental screen

The serene world of sleep evades our mind unseen

We sludge and strive with dreadful reflection of our acts

Unlike the virtuous souls who feel the touch of heaven

In the happy lap of sleep, very few chosen.

Deep sleep unruffled verily a precious boon

Who heals our mind like the cool rays of full moon.

                    ******************

21st February 2025                   Somaseshu Gutala

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THEIR TRIPS

 

                                

                

                                 

 1.                 Too weak they are to travel

    When and where they fall sick, none can foretell

    Others too busy to help them in their state;

    They are left out to their own fate;

    Yet they have to move to some places few

    The places they frequented, though not new

    They meet their doctors to check their health

    In their age to be in good state is true wealth.

 

2.       Tethered to their old habits, they don’t say “No”

  When they visit temples, their faces glow

  Where they feel happy and peace around;

  They love to hear the priest’s chanting sound;

  They feel content to drop some coins to beggars there;

  With old people, their experiences they share;

  At inner sanctum with deep devotion, they stare

  A sense of promise they feel from idols there.

 

3.      Sometimes to nearby parks they used to go

 Glancing at ducks and lilies floating slow

 By chance they used to meet their friends and chat

 To know about their health and recollect events past

 In this world of noisy rush and heat

 The gardens and temples, a holy treat;

 They share with those who have patience.

 To know their experiences and feelings immense.

 

 

4.     Of past events, youth may not like to hear;

 To them, these seem to belong to another sphere.

 Like old birds in winter-worn forests deep;

 Youth may seem too busy and pretend to sleep;

 Entombed in memories the old seem to dwell

 Gone are the days of zeal and magic spell;

 This generation seems too fast and smart

 Old people’s words, seem not so impact their hearts.

 

5.    Their age and state not fit and strong

Though they desire, they can’t so travel long

They are content to watch places on T.V.

 In clear perspective without envy

 In still, dark night they wake up to review

Their acts and deeds—their needs too few;

 Like old hermits estranged in caves and forests far

They try to live with few desires wherever they are.

 

6.    Like caged creatures within four walls, they stay

Like static railway coaches, immovable they are;

Their children like engines take them to near and far

 No more can they move out and have their way;

 Once they used to move at their wish and will

Taking children wherever they demand with thrill

 Now, like sky-bound astronauts they cannot land

They have to follow their children’s command.

             ****************************

   12th February 2025                  Somaseshu Gutala

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awakening God

                               

                       

 

1.     With sweet melodious music divine

        In cool, rosy hours of dawn with flower-fresh shine;

        I wish to waken Thee, Oh Lord and greet

       With garlands and incense smelling sweet

       With tinkling symbols and soul-stirring strains;

       No serene climate in this crowded domain  

       No lilting smooth sounds of music I hear

       A hasty clutter of feet and blaring horns mere.

 

2.    The noisy roads revel in medley sounds

       Their cacophony crossing the bounds

       In midst of this chaos, you calmly dwell

       As if in serene Himalayan dell;

      While people come to Thee watching their cells

      Holy silence, not at all found in this hell

      How can I wake Thee up with devotion

      While rushing sounds create confusion?

 3. In temples the devotees devoutly pray loud

    Thy thousand names with devotion proud

    Not giving a chance for others to pray

   The incantations of priests lost in their noisy fray;

   The temple, a place of sincere love to God

   Turns a complex conglomeration of sounds oh Lord!

   A place where people chat, laugh loud with zest

  To show their zeal they strike the bells loudest.

4.When city tired, sleeps calm in nightly hours

  When darkness lulls drunkards and tired lovers

  When cool breeze wafts from distant hills

  When foggy pollution spreads and fills

   I feel Thy Presence in my bosom’s shrine

   A meet timing to wake Thee up from slumber divine

  With unheard melodies of rapturous pipe

  With music sweet, as sweet as mangoes ripe.

 5.How can sages become so steady and calm

    Like hills sublime with ineffable charm

    Unperturbed by distracting din of sounds

    Their yogic trance transcends our worldly bounds;

    Oh fool! how can one think that God needs sleep

    Who rules over stars, sky and mighty deep?

    In tiny atoms and in huge whales, his power abides

    His omnipresence watches all and safely guides.

                     ****-----------******

       3rd February 2025                 Somaseshu Gutala

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Sharing Books

           

                    

                                

                                  

            

                     

1.    Here the vast store of knowledge lies in rows

Noblest musings and thoughts in one place

The mount of Olympus with Muses nine here stays;

In fresh- bound volumes, what a splendid show?

Like caged birds in glass-sheeted cupboards

A whole mass of inexhaustible load

Even to count them many days it needs;

New members added on various themes and creeds.

 

2.       "None should dare to touch them", writ on board

     Like a cautious fire-spitting dragon he guards

Glancing at each treasure with warm regards;

None should come near this accumulated hoard

So many lives we need to go through this vast

Expanse of knowledge, inestimable-- its cost;

With great efforts he amassed this precious treasure

He allowed none; to look at them, his sole pleasure.

 

3.         He multiplied his treasure day by day

No stone left unturned to collect a lot;

A rich repository of knowledge he got

None should touch his wealth he used to say

Like a conglomeration of stars they shine

Inaccessible to others, a diamond mine;

He is reluctant with his rare books to part

To another world, he can’t take them he bought. 

 

4.     He read with interest keen and spent many hours

Reading large books resting in his armchair

Closeting himself from daily works and cares;

He found no time to gaze at hills, brooks and flowers

Burying himself like a mole, much knowledge he got

He found no time to chat and share his thoughts.

His ambition to gather more made him even to dare

Ever he grabbed books-- never dreamt even to share.

 

5.    Sharing books with others means sharing noble thoughts

Ideals sublime, and feelings of noble hearts;

Sharing, a worthy act of helping others a lot;

Influencing others’ attitudes and their acts;

Due to fear of losing his rare gems he did decide

Not to give away any book from his treasure, his pride;

At least he could demand precious books in return

Till he gets back his precious possession.

 

6.    To feel the touch and the smell of printed page

In this digital age, to own books a great

Thing indeed and deserves due praise to state;

Makes one happy and takes him back to bygone age.

When people reveled in reading and writing skills

When people felt proud of their books with thrill

Now scarcely seen such patience in booklovers few

Fondness for books, not seen in this generation new.

     

7.    Let us spend at least some cash to sustain

The noble act of reading books that gives perpetual calm

A due balance between digital and printed forms

A useful spending of time and nourishing the brain.

This precious heritage let us pass on and train

Our next generation to read and knowledge gain;

Books are life-long friends and masters that lead

They are pole stars and voice of noble souls indeed.

                     *******************

26th January 2025                         Somaseshu Gutala

   

 

 

 

 

 

VIRTUAL GHOSTS

 

              

                                

                          

1.     We live like ghosts away from human touch

  Stark reality we scoff and hate

  As slow, not smart—a sluggish state;

  Our technology we boast so much

  In virtual world we wish to dwell

  Confined to computers, tabs and cells

  Like beasts cramped in impregnable cage

  We love to live in a complicated maze.

 

2.     Too lazy we are to use our bodies and move out

 We have become too static and stout

 Depending on machines to solve our doubts

 Our human relations slowly fade out

 We need not go to office, work and talk

 With others or go for a friendly walk

 Fast vehicles we have wherever we to go

 In this faster society we hate to be slow.

 

3.    Onslaught of gadgets made our work so swift and fast

We are too lazy to draft, count and write

Default-letters and mails made our work very light

Our writing skills and personal style we lost

Our fingers feel reluctant to pen our thoughts

The skill of calligraphy is a thing of past.

In writing, thoughts flow out from our heart

Our sensations respond with intimate touch a lot. 

 

4.    Our stamina disused lose vigor and will not be smart

 Bombarded by ready-made and go-easy ways

Our innate spirit and skills do they replace

Our instinctive talents in digital web caught

Our artists challenged by quick-machines a lot;

Our working style is perturbed and distraught;

By this fast-paced, fast, digital onslaught, a lot

With zillion bits of information vast.

 

5.  Surroundings shape our living, heart and mind

Depending ever on artificial machines;

Our response too turns mechanized and routine;

So dry and so shallow that others cannot find

The meaning and purpose of what we write or read;

We lose mutual trust and understanding indeed

The golden wand of inspiration we really lose

Our style becomes too dull, diffuse and loose.

 

6.   Technology made our world, a miraculous sphere

    Widened our perceptions and enhanced our powers;

    Created new hybrids, crops, creatures and flowers;

    Yet took away our peace and bred impending fears

    Of nuclear war, selfish nature and mistrust

    Enslave not your conscience to pleasure and lust

Let us put this God-given power to good use

Not for destruction, unrest and misuse. 

 

7.    Though made easy our work, these devices tear

Away our earning means and left men in despair

Our innate skills and talents shrink away and wear;

To banish livelihood for gains is not just and fair;

If all your labors go in vain, how do you feel?

All your service ignored and thrown like a peel

How many lives driven away with least concern!

A bolt from the blue, a stunning tragic turn!

 

8.  Machines should not make us ciphers mere

   Without human feelings, progress sheer waste;

    A ruthless competition leads to greed and hate

    Don’t drudge like slaves without plan clear

    Use devices with due restraint and purpose

    Don’t lose your worth and values and become worse

    Don’t live like virtual ghosts and lifeless tools;

    Hone your own skills and live with righteous rules.

 

               **** ------------------- ****

    18th January 2025            Somaseshu Gutala

 

 

 

    

 

  

       

     

 

 

 

   

 

Musings of a cheated husband

                      

                

          

                 There is deception in the air I breathe

                 There is pollution in the water I drink

                There is poison in the food I take

                The sky above me seems to fall

                The earth under me seems to shake;

                Uunseen deceit seems to creep under my seat;

               The tie around my neck seems to become

               A hanging rope to strangle me;

              My new shoes seem to pinch my foot;

              The pet dog that licks my boots

              Seems to leap and assault me;

              My love has turned a corpse

             To clasp me in her coldest grip;

             The blade I shave with

             Stole half the hair of my upper lip;

             The mirror I stand before

             Mocks at me with an image crooked thousand-fold;

             My own feet seem to stamp my name down

             My own hand seems to set fire to my fame;

             My own finger seems to prick at my eyeball;

             My better half committed the grievous folly;

             Oh, God! My own children I think as mine

             Seem to share not my flesh and blood

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Telugu Original by: A. Surya Prakash

           (Patita Pati Aantarangangikamu)  

Translated by : G.Somaseshu                   5th January 2024

 

 

Our Hearty Greetings

                             

          

                               

1.    You brag not about your degrees and merits

       You don’t show off your knowledge

       You boast not about your status and state;

       You do your duty with patience and grit

       No fanfare or applause you desire;

       To service you dedicate your time entire.

       Sincere work and duty in learners you inspire.      

 

2.    You maintain simple and sober living style

       You keep your conscience cool and clean;

       Without entertaining vicious thoughts mean;

       In idle talk your time you never waste;         

       No crafty means enter your mind

       And none you dislike or hate.

       You greet everyone with a friendly smile.

 

3.    In prestigious office for decades you perform

      Treating patients from hamlets and towns.

       With equal care and attention

       Without anger or frown

       Doing assigned tasks with attitude calm.

       Cordial relations with all you did maintain

       Despite busy schedule without stress and strain.

 

4.    Retirement did not make you lazy and still

       Your rich experience with knowledge you got

       Gave you a precious chance to impart wisdom

       To students, future doctors to hone their skills.

       Despite busy schedule, you are in good health,

       Befitting your knowledge and experience long

      You made best use of time in useful ways.

 

5.   You made best use of your experience long

      As a physician and as a professor wise

     You are honored with the prestigious prize

     Conferred by Royal Society of England Great.

     We feel proud delight on this occasion rare

     Hearty felicitations with you we share.

              ****-------------------****   

     

  (DEDICATED TO DR.A.T.N , WHO WAS CONFERRED THE PRESTIGIOUS AWARD) 

     

     

29th December, 2024              Somaseshu Gutala