ON TRAVEL

     

     

                Some travelers bring solid joy or at least

               A curious shell or tales to tell;

               They love to go to new places and scenes

               Strain and stress they feel none at all.

               Some feel their trip a tiresome task

               Something unavoidable and too hard

               A plaintive load as if they left their heart

               On some blue rock and missed;

               The past like a retreating star

               Mocks at their falling state;

               For them no tales remain

               But vexing hours and disturbing strain.

               They leave their lonely heart

               Scalded like the stone under the scorching sun.

               For them to move means courting pains

               Nor can they stay lone like a tree

               A strange, strange mental state

               Hanging like a static cloud pushed by gales;

               For them no dynamic fleeting colors

               Ever echo within their hearts

               Which they had seen on the rim of sparkling waves

               Or yellow birds, green hills or sylvan rills.

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

          3rd July, 2019                          Somaseshu Gutala

                 

AT PLAY ( A SONG )

 

                     

                  The marching train of geese

                   Beside the purling streams

                   The playful golden beams

                   The flying birds with ease.

                   The skating clouds like girls

                   Touching slowly each other’s curls;

                   The fisher’s tilting line

                   The dance of lilies fine.

                    I feel, I feel so gay

                   To see Nature at play;

                   To hear the song and sweep

                   Of wind and bleating sheep.

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

         29th June, 2019               Somaseshu Gutala

      

ODE ON SUMMER

                     

                             

                              ( I )

            

   After hot, hot summer noon-hours

   After wild western fiery showers

   When none dares to walk out

   When all in closed doors sigh out;

   Hot breaths feverish, lying below

   Fan’s hotter winds, pale faces yellow

   Wishing cool breeze and dreamy winks

   Cold water glassfuls every mouth drinks

   Yawning “Lord”, everybody sinks

    Mercury with a malicious blink

    Shoots up as fatigued people snore

    While people outside move out from doors

    Covering their heads with cloth to face the blazing sun;

    Even birds and beasts for cool shelter run;

                                ( I I ) 

    Summer-baked leaves fall down, nay summer-fried

    Huts, tents and houses burn and hay-stacks dried;

    Forge and furnace everyone seems to be

    Wild deserts in burning eyes you see;

    Rash-torn itchy skins, boils, sweat and sun strokes. 

    Dried up ponds, lakes and wells black as coke;

    Not a glimpse of shining cool waters in sight

    A long line of empty pitchers show people’s plight   

    Oh, is it Phaethon’s mismanagement!

    Or sun’s sudden orbital displacement!

    Houses hot like burning hot Arabian tents

    Earth so horribly cracked and shreds dry-rent!

                             ( I I I )

    Sings not cuckoo even in spring so hot

    Even birds can’t bear this steaming draught;

    Sweat-sodden faces crave for cooler nights

    Still hotter winds blow with pollution’s blight;

    Like burnt dome of coal the dark night seems now

    Even lakes seem hot like cauldrons on a stove;

    People search for swimming pools and lakes

    For juicy fruits and ice their thirst to slake;

    Water, sherbet, cold baths and fruits— our summer’s treat

    Cheer our sun-scorched faces in spite of heat.

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

     24th June, 2019                    Somaseshu Gutala


    Ref : Phaethon -- son of Helios, the Greek sun god. Challenged by his playmates to prove that he was the son of Helios, he insisted on being allowed to drive the sun chariot for a day. Phaethon was unable to control the sun horses. When the chariot scorched the earth by swinging too near, Zeus (the chief of Greek gods) hurled a thunderbolt to prevent the destruction of the earth. As a result Phaethon was thrown down to earth and was killed.

                         
                             

  Note : In this loose irregular ode, lines of varying length with couplet rhymes are used.The length of stanzas also vary in length. Generally in odes complicated rhyme scheme is used to deal with a complex theme.Here the simple couplet form is chosen and the woes of blazing summer in tropics is the main theme of this descriptive ode.        

THE TALE OF SISTER MARY

         

        

         Her name known to all, ev'n to a small child

         Her nature, ever friendly, meek and mild;

         Whence and when she came none correctly knew

         She came as a nurse with belongings few;

         Some said she lost her spouse and some, a maid;

         To all gossips scant attention she paid;

         Not an impressive figure and form she had

         Thin and tall ever in simple white dress clad

         With a smiling face and soft voice clear

         A motherly figure with comforting cheer;

         Others she did neither blame nor criticize

         She talked not much but gave sound advice;

         She stitched, fine embroidery she did

         Fine pictures she drew and cooked dishes splendid;

         An angel of all trades as everyone felt

         She led the choir while others prayed and knelt;

         From morn to eve, she had a tight schedule

         She helped patients with love and taught at school;

         For every function she was a helpful guest

         Arranged everything and never cared to rest;

         She found joy in serving and helping others

         About her own comforts she did not bother;

         In wedding times she did gracefully decorate

        The bride and waited patiently till late

        Unlike others who rush to meals with buffet plates;

        She wished to see all guests in happy state;

        Though not so rich small petty gifts she gave

        To everyone, no gains for her work she did crave;

        She helped all till her strength did last

        As if by curse a grievous malady she caught;

        Though confined to bed she never felt too bad

        Her visitors, though few, did make them glad;

        Her pious religious outlook and mind

        Filled with patience and feelings kind

        Made her amiable to one and all

        Though none came to help and nurse her at all;

        Is this the gift for her services long?

        How many people helped she with conscience strong?

        How many patients got her help and aid?

        How many functions she managed unpaid?

        How many families she gave support

        Expecting naught with friendly rapport?

        Now left alone with none to nurse her state

        Is this the gift given by cruel fate?

        Inscrutable to know God’s plans and ways

        Why Sister Mary suffered for so many days?

        Her long lasting illness left her alone

        None came to help, too busy even to phone;

        Languishing like a stump of truncated tree

        Sister Mary lay with none to help or see;

        In spite of her pain and exhausted state

        She ever prayed to God and never cursed her fate;

        If anyone came to inquire her health by chance

        She shed silent tears with a helpless glance;

        Like sinking sun she met her end in sleep at last

        Her benevolent deeds will never fade so fast.

        Like a candle she shone with selfless service

        May her soul in Lord’s bosom rest in peace;

        Her dearest memories forever shine

        Sister Mary’s life, indeed Love’s sacred shrine.

             ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

       8th June, 2019                              Somaseshu Gutala

BEYOND OUR VIEW

                          
 

1)           Like an insurmountable mountain

               My growing sins increase, Lord, day by day;

               Like a gargantuan monster with a weird face

               Prevents me from supplicating thy grace.  

2)           Embedded in deep-sucking Charybdis

               Filled with foul thoughts and deeds

               Like devouring crocodiles drag me down

               My helpless cries caught in dark chasms drown.

3)           Buffeted by Bermuda’s raging roar

              My prayers went unheard far from the shore

              Thy grace unfathomable like deepest sea;

               My innumerable sins block thy grace to me.

4)           Fatigued and parched in God-forsaken land

              Deserted do I roam like a vagabond ;

              Except deceiving puddles beckon me far

              None quenched my thirst or healed my inner scars.

5)          Where are Thy boundless acts of grace?

              Distanced from Thy reach, I cannot trace

              Art Thou a mute witness unmoved, unkind?

               Without Thy help my goal how can I find?

6)           We burden ourselves with growing age

               Committing sins with envy, lust and rage

               Caught in self-made fetters, God’s will, we blame

               As if Thou with rigid rules spoiled our game.

7)             In spite of dreadful crimes and vicious deeds

                 In spite of unlawful acts and cheating creeds 

 

                 We still survive under Thy benevolent gaze

                 Our acts boomerang on our misleading craze.   

8)             Not only men but birds and beasts are blest

                By Thy mercy unsought with food and rest

               Thy great gracious acts commended by all

                We, sinners, fail to respond to Thy call.

9)             These surprising twists and turns, our own making

                 Like barnacles to prickly desires we cling;

                 We look forward to fortunes with million eyes

                 We blame Thy will when troubles test our lives.

10)            No fault of Thine, ever flowing infinite Mercy!

                 Bogged down by vices, we are too blind to see

                 Thy master plan spanning boundless eons long;

                 Beyond our view, bless us with firm devotion strong.

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

 Reference :

                    1)   Insurmountable --- too difficult to overcome.

                     2)   Gargantuan ---- gigantic or very huge.

                     3)    Charybdis --- a dangerous whirlpool in the

                                                Strait of Messina.

                     4)    deceiving puddles --- mirage (illusion)

                     5)    Bermuda --- Also known as “devil’s triangle”,

                        region in western part of the North Atlantic ocean

                        where many ships and aircraft disappeared under

                        mysterious circumstances.

                     6)   Barnacles--- marine creatures which stick on 

                          other creatures tightly and survive by filtering 

                          particles from sea water.Here it means tenacious.

                             ++++++++=++++++++++++++++=++++++++++++

              5th June, 2019                         Somaseshu Gutala