Talent

Why throw a beautiful harp in the mud?
Tell me, Oh! Siva Sakthi,
Who created me with a bright mind!

Bestow the ability,
For a useful life to this land!
Oh! Siva Sakthi,
Why be a burden to the land?

I asked for a body, that could go places at will.
Like an electric ball.
A strong mind,
A life that shines forever young.
Even if fire burns my flesh
A self that sings about you.
And a steady intellect.
Any blocks to bestowing these?

Note: Here Bharati is perhaps encouraging us to use our innate skills to serve the world. Why would we waste our talents? Why not ask for the strength of mind, body and intellect! Why not say yes to life?

Tamil Version Reference: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~vasur/nallatoor.html

Write along!

The writer writes along.

Fame is not a factor,

Nor is the name.

The writer writes along,

For writing is what he likes.

The writer writes along.

Change might come,

Or not.

But she writes along.

For writing is her wont.

The writer writes on.

When the moment arrives,

How can the thought be dammed?

So he writes along.

For what else can he do?

She writes and writes.

Sometimes out of a whim,

Sometimes out of a drive.

She writes along.

For writing is her game!

Knowledge

She resides on a pure lotus,

In the harp's notes,

In endless joy,

And in the poet's heart!

She lights up knowledge,

That is sought and understood.

She's the message of kindness,

Of blemish-less sages.

She lives in maidens' sweet songs,

In a child's babble,

In the song of a cuckoo,

And in the parrot's tongue!

In sincere work and in a painting,

In temples and their towers,

She is in the beauty of these.

Oh, she is bliss personified!

Source: Vellai thAmarai poovil iruppAL

Poet: Mahakavi Subramanya Bharati

Translated on: Dec 17, 2015

Reference: http://krithis-theirmeanings-thestories.blogspot.com/2012/10/vellaith-thaamarai-poovil-iruppaal.html

No fear, no fear, no such thing as fear!

No fear, no fear, no such thing as fear!

Even if the whole world opposes us,

And treats us with disdain and lowly,

Even if we have to eat by begging,

Or lose everything we desire.

No fear, no fear, no such thing as fear!

Even if voluptuous maidens flash their eyes on us,

Or a friend feeds us poison;

If green armies were to march towards us,

Or the sky comes crumbling down on us;

No fear, no fear, no such thing as fear!

Poet:

MahAkavi Subramanya Bharati

Tamil Text Reference: 

http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/tamilbooks/bharathiar/bharathi-II78.asp

Translator: Narayan Srinivasan

~ This poem has motivated so many. One can see the intensity of BharatiAr’s passion for India to be freed from British rule!

Open up!

As we look at the world, with all its walls and lines,
May we also look at it from a really far, far place.
Where are those walls and lines?

As we see another being's differences,
May we also look at what is common.
Where from our breath comes from?

He is this, she is that,
The world is all mayhem - we say.
Let's calm down and work it out.

To view each event by its own light,
To see each zebra by its own stripe.
Ah, the glory of universal vision!

Baby Firewall

Baby Fireball

I found a baby fireball!

Placed it gently in a pit in the woods.

Oh it burned down the place!

When was age a factor for valor?

Thattharigita thatharigita thitthom!

~ Translation of part of the poem "Aggini kunjonRu kanden" by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharati

http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~vasur/akkini.html

~ An uplifting and exciting song that talks about what happens when one taps into their potential… and that age or size or any so called limit is no bar! The metaphor of the "baby fireball" is very famous due to BharatiAr! I have kept the ending line to show the excitement that the poet had in the song!

Musings on a Spider!

Spider caught in bag wondered;

"Why are they looking at me?
My compound eyes see their eyes well -
I see fear and a tinge of misunderstanding!
I see anger and know not why.

They are saying things I do not get,

I wonder if they are going to eat me.
If not, why would they hold me in this pen at all?
I do not understand this animal a bit!

I hear some screaming,

And thoughts of squishing me,
Why oh why I say…
Do they need to do that?

I bite but only when they come close,

I catch my prey only to eat,
Not to play with or make fun of,
I do not understand this animal a bit!"

Nature has a place for all,

Not just humans you see,
Not saying you should not eat your food,
Nor protect yourself from harm.

May be we should all think,

On how to minimize harm,
If a "critter" is not causing trouble,
Please let it outside your home!

Narayan Srinivasan

~ Feb 21, 2015