Roses and the Moon

 

                            

                    

               

  Though you seem to deny my plea outright

  I blame Thee not; whom should I entreat, oh Lord!

 Whose firm support I seek, almighty God!

 None but Thee, Thou, unprecedented Power bright!

 Nothing happens without thy will and pleasure;

 Though dejected, can’t compel Thee to act

 Your will, insurmountable in fact;

  I can’t see the grace of Thy generous treasure;

 Like tidal waves Time swings our lives thrown up and down

 Into unexplorable depths beyond our thoughts;

 My past years wasted away like fallen leaves so soon

 Let me obey Thy will; no use to fret and frown;

 With growing age, life with many maladies fraught

 Be content; no craze for roses and the moon.

 
    03-05-2024                                    Somaseshu Gutala
         

 

 

 

 

I dream of Thee, my Master Kind!

                                   

                                

     

        I dream of thee, my Master kind! 

        So many days without thy sight

        Though cherished thoughts my soul did bind

        I felt left lone far from thy sight;

        What cruel blow did fate inflict?

        At such a tender age you quit

        As if virtue these worldly ills could not bear. 

        You left—our feelings who can share?

        I dreamt of thee in celestial light.

       Touching me with love, as my sight

       Overwhelmed with feelings too deep to find

       Their way in tears; Oh, Master kind!

       I felt the bliss of soul that blends with God

       Beholding all and give each, due reward.

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

      21st April, 2024                   Somaseshu Gutala

Ode to my Master --- I I

           

                

1.    Once more, I bow to thee, Master great!

A greater joy I find in thy state;

The noble virtues graced in thee

With friendly smile and tranquility;

Humanized without a taint unkind

A rare example indeed I find.

 

2.    No pride of knowledge swelled thy brain

No egoistic show or stain;

No bragging bombastic style

Or flattering crooked guile;

Ever maintaining composure cool

Thy body, as you said, a worldly tool.

 

3.    For proper use to help others

Who are our own soul-brothers;

To refine our own indwelling sprite

To love our kindred souls and light

Their darkened lives with merciful rays

And make them tread in righteous ways. 

 

4.    Never found in thee, any trace of greed

Or stung with envy, a vicious seed;

Or splashed with clouded frozen gloom

Thy face- a sober sunny lotus bloom;

Not stained with angry staring eyes

Or vexed with cursing tone so high.

 

5.    No trouble upset thy yogic mind

Unperturbed and cool we always find

In thee, a balanced soul above the thrall

Of worldly snares and deceptive traps

Unshaken by unpredictable mishaps;

With a sportive smile you took all in all.

 

6.    Unlike the fools who cry for human aid

With hopes on fickle persons laid;

You never stretched your hand indeed

For help from others- a noble creed;

Guided by Godly call, you thrive

With equanimity you always strive.

 

7.    While others fawned for favors mean

Your actions match with what they mean;

You marched unconcerned far from craze

Like a majestic elephant sage;

Fate planned thy life in noble ways

Blessed by great masters you lived always. 

 

8.    With friendly sober looks you filled my heart

Though not so worthy, with noble thoughts;

Like a resting pilgrim under the shade

Your kind presence a lot of difference made;

Forgetful of trivial things of world I find

Thy blessed presence so soothing to my mind.

 

9.    With thy calm look and humane touch

You viewed beyond the human lurch;

A sense of wonder and bliss we feel

To hear thy voice swell like the Ganges with zeal;

No verbal ostentatious, empty show

You made us feel the innate sprite aglow.

 

10.      My Master Great! how can I praise?

   My lowly state, how can I raise?

   Thy blessings only I implore;

   Thy sacred touch within my bosom’s core;

   No spiritual realms I long.

   Thy sacred looks enough; accept my humble song.

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

   16th April, 2023                         Somaseshu Gutala     

           

Ode to my Master --- I

            

             

                       

        1.       By gracious looks of God so kind

          Thy guidance unasked I find.

          Like a dream you flashed yet gone.

          To me, a vacant monotonous morn.

 

     2.            Though brief thy company, I store

         Thy words- a precious core.

         Outcome of gentle brooding skill

         Of contemplation with a divine thrill.

 

    3.           What we see not, you watched with clear

        Conscience and showed in acts indeed.

        You have wiped out many a tear

        With a gentle smile-- what more we need?

 

  4.                So busy with service to all

        You did not respond to my humble call;

        I complain not; a selfless soul

        Not confined to one creature’s goal.

 

5.                    Like heaven’s golden orb you shine

       To gladden all and refine

       Our thoughts—pure, crystal-clear;

       Your kindness brings all near.

 

6.              Thy Master’s glory in you we find

     A proof seen in your humble mind;

     God showered His grace on Thee;

     A godly teacher we find in thee.

 

7.           A wretched soul like me may not

   Aspire to such a sublime part;

   A drop of thy mercy enough for me;

   My call, though weak, Master hear me!

 

8.      With each and every passing sunrise

  I see thy blessed figure wise.

 Warm tears well up unsought

  Recalling thy noble acts.

 

9.     Though you spoke less, you patiently heard

 Our problems and complaining words.

 Your wise advice served as healing balm.

 Your friendly looks made our restless souls calm.

10.   Your healing touch gave much relief

        To suffering patients and removed their grief.

        A mystic force in thy hands gives us ease

        Which gives us what we lack true peace.          

       

  11.        I may not tread along thy way

Thy thoughts I like and will not stray

From your benevolent looks indwelt

My hardened heart ere thee doth melt.

 

  12.    How oft I felt enthralled to see

Men bow with reverence before thee!

How oft I heard thy words so wise and kind.

Soothing my anguished, ignorant mind!

           ***********************

   9th April, 2024                    Somaseshu Gutala

 Note : A Master means a noble, spiritual and religous-minded person who feels divinity and is not much attached to wordly passions. He treats every living creature with compassion, generosity. He does selfless service and finds delight in helping others. He is not greedy and avaricious. He spreads joy and serenity wherever he goes.

 

  

The Tender Touch

 

                                            

                     

                         

 1.            When I burst through womb of darkness dense

Into this coil of ignorance immense;

My childish wails she heard with love intense

She cared for me- a goddess in true sense;

She spread the fragrance of love like a rose

Her little elf, oh me, she chose.

 

2.    My wearisome pranks she put up with ease

Despite my fretful tricks, she did not cease

To treat me with her loving care;

She lavished all her love, a lion’s share;

The sweetest memories of love she gave

My reckless acts of youth she forgave.

 

3.    My youthful fiery temper swift slowed down

By buffetings of fate and destiny’s frown;

The muse with motherly love lulled me to rest

The wine of poesy on my parched lips she prest;

She pulled me out from these hard factual shocks

She soothed my soul, a fresh spring gushing from rocks.

4.    I strove through mad competitive world

I found meet haven in books which unfurled

Past glories with noble feelings suffused;

To throbs of misery, I got well used

A quiet limpid sublime strain I saw

In ancient masters great without a flaw.

 

5.    In flights of fancy myself immersed I got lost

And yet, no height of maturity I got

Whatever I felt I wrote without forethought;

A flood of momentary flash I caught;

New links of family ties engaged my mind

Through kids I relived my past that I left behind.

 

6.    Not a small measure of love from friends I had

They made me enjoy their company glad

An interval of mirth in them I found

Amidst the dreary mechanical round

Yet future seemed an unpredictable mist

Desires grow on- an unending list.

 

7.    The tender touch of warmth indeed I found

In family links though duties bound

Me fast with advancing age; I had

The luck of timely help from gracious Lord

The touch of righteous and wise souls who blest

Me with their noble thoughts and my heart imprest. 

 

8.    I wait for the tender touch of God

Before my warm breath leaves this dusty sod

His sin-dissolving touch so rare

If his mighty will condescends to spare

Ere the cold touch of dark mother’s kiss on my brow;

I wait, a lazy pilgrim for Him, though slow.

            ***********************

   1st April, 2024                  Somaseshu Gutala

Returning home

                      

          Dreaming of lily-smiles and rosy cheeks

          Showers of sapphire and lightning looks;

          A beckoning star with swelling sighs

          I tried to clasp a fistful of light;

          No greeting stretch of hands;

          A stiff-lipped silence

          A cold steel-grey stone-touch;

          I slunk aside in a neglected nook;

          No more I wished for cobweb dreams

          No more to diet on moonlight beams;

          Her dusky bosom heaved at once

          A creeping thrill in darkness dense;

          A wondrous miracle—I felt intense;

          I touched the fringe of bliss beyond myself

          Is it a dream or a mischievous elf?

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

      27th March, 2024                       Somaseshu Gutala

  

A touching farewell

 

                                               

                    

                           Without a touch I have to leave

                           No chance to flash a meaningful smile

                           Or a wave of hand.

                           Our house in traditional vein

                           Full with all our well-wishers

                           Our nearest and dearest kith and kin;

                           To wish them away

                           An unpardonable sin;

                           Every wall and window

                           Too busy with eyes, ears and tongues;

                           No scope for wishes and whispers-

                           I touched the filmy eyes of yours

                           With my palpitating heart;

                            I looked back at the unfulfilled dreams

                            That we left behind;

                            With Time’s onward rush unkind

                             I felt the stab of thy glance;

                             With a suppressed sigh, I made bold

                             A step forward

                             To attend the pulling urge

                             Of the routine, rugged life.

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

     21st March, 2024                                Somaseshu Gutala

Reflections of a middle-class husband

       

                         

                                      

            

         1.    How soon we crossed swift years upon the seas

Of time; I can’t believe, yet what

We got, you may question, but nought;

A routine cyclic round, no splendid breeze

Of victory rippled our stagnant rhythm of life;

We lived as others do as husband and wife.

 

2.    We got good help but not in a state to give

No rosy moments we had, but calmy live

In casual ways sans closer ties;

No events made us sane and wise;

The seas of fate, uncertain and too cold

As deep may be your mind, I can’t behold;

Our duties goaded us to run round the clock

No poetic lilt we felt, no thrilling shock.

 

3.    So many years passed—we rolled like balls

Playing too cautious to break our walls;

Unaware of our goals, we plied on our ways

Unmindful of dreary prospective days;

We kept within our bounds too discreet to break

A compromising deal—no risk or stake. 

 

4.    Our tastes do differ, but our duties link

No lusty greed spurred you; no brink

Of ambition fired my heart; I took

Whatever came with easy look

Reposing faith in the grace of God;

Through ups and downs we patiently trod.

My eager earnings scarcely enough for needs

With rising prices our purses are bound to bleed.

Your careful ways helped me--much I admire

Within our limits we curbed our dreams and desires.

 

5.    In compromising ways, we moved with ease

My life, a leaf whirled round by chancy breeze;

I pray for doing my share of mine by just

Means aided by God and not a burden curst;

I wish thee brighter moments of bliss

Tempered with moral strength and peace.

 

6.    No rolling flood of wealth and joy I share

With thee; a simple soul what can I spare?

No bragging pomp of luxuries I shower

No mansioned magnificence, beyond my power;

Let us maintain our relations with hope and cheer;

Let us live in peace with a conscience clear;

No use of blaming fate for what we got

As middle-class people let us accept our lot;

What more can I promise? No rosy dreams

Smile thy way through, cheer up, no raging screams.

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

15th March, 2024               Somaseshu Gutala

Note: The predicament in a middle-class family is shown. The wide gap between aspirations and reality is described. Of course, the positive aspect is adjustment and mutual understanding.

The Dynamic beat

 

                                                

                       

       Pressed by so many duties down;

       I pant and push through work, no time to waste;

       No time to stop awhile, no time to pause or rest;

       So much to do, I fret and frown;

       No time to touch the frilled pink flower

       No time to feel sweet melody’s shower;

       In Time’s grip lies a monstrous power;

       A warning tolls from lofty, rocky tower;

       My heart beats fast—how much I lost

       A knotty mess still left-oh, God! I am lost;

       Sweating beads in sweltering heat

       I run haggard from seat to seat;

      The rose chuckled, the bird twittered, the leaf

      Fluttered; I sink dead-tired; a lifeless heap.

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

      9th March, 2024             Somaseshu Gutala

A Refreshing Ride

                                

                         

       A refreshing ride on smooth and silky ways

       No cares, no prying creature attention pays;

       A pageant green all around with no foul stain

       No brawls, no restless heat, no trouble and no strain;

       I watch the floating strings of birds, those colorful fays

      Unruffled by the bustle of earthly freaks and frays;

      Past memories sparkle within; a tearful feeling sways;

      My bosom like a bee sucks peace around

      Starred with pea-cock-blue buds and berries crowned

      A replica of sky seen here with green background

      Forgetful of worldly worries here I find

      A safe haven—motherly bosom dear, so kind;

      I rush towards thy lap—Thou, treasure

     Of all-encompassing source of pleasure!

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

       1st March, 2024              Somaseshu Gutala