a special mother for a special child

often swelled with pride did i

patting myself for being a mother perfect

crediting myself for all their highs

until....

sighted I a mother with a special child

anticipating his wishes fulfilling them

strengthening him to catch up with the rest

providing a firewall around him

shielding him from the onslaughts of the world

sharing a special bond with her child

more close to her loved one

than I to mine

my garden

dreading the worst, i stepped into my garden

steeling myself for a situation grave...

after lastnight's rainblast

fearing for my saplings small

big ones did not merit my fear

but stood still I.....

the saplings seemed refreshed as after a coffee

big ones shone with greenery,

if green could

and the lawn seemed perfect

I need not fear...

as almighty cares

I need not fear for my young ones too

as the Almighty that cares for THEM

cares for MINE too

Me, in my morning rush hour

cook scrub and clean

a nightingale amidst a concrete jungle

screams and orders me to stop

to listen to her melody

'stop your chores,spare me your ear

i thought you missed me'

my ties with the nightingale

began when i lost mine

its melancholic tune chided me, irritated me

for i wished to enjoy nothing

as i lay grieving for my princess

days passed , years passed

i started seeing my princess in the nightingale

whenever i herd its melody

i felt as my princess was visiting me

as i changed houses

i thought i lost my visitor

the sharp sound of the nightingale

seemed to be angry with me

it seemed to complain

' you have forgotten me !'

no hardly ever

my wound of losing my princess is as raw as it was

and your tune as melancholic as always

Ratnaprabha r raykar

A poem on Arundhati Nag

i would like to give a very small introduction to the poem This is about avery famous theatre personality arundhati nag who strove very hard to raise a memorial to her husband Shankar Nag who died tragically in an accident, who was a famous filmstar of kannada cinema. I was inspired to write this poem when i watched her on the occassion of the inauguration of Rangashankara her memorial to her husband

A poem on Arundhati Nag

your face shines with irridiscent glow
--the glow of a bride
smile in your eyes, spring in your step
as you skittle here and there
awaiting the arrival of your beau
waiting to be complimented for a job well done
your beau's presence pervades the whole Rangashankara
you have made him immortal

the very next moment you seem like the bride's mother
assigning tasks,overseeing them
nothing to be short of perfect

One with diadem raised a mahal
in memory of his begum
his means had no tandem
it seems not very great
your RANGASHANKARA --a living memorial
surpasses it
Ratnaprabha R RAykar

my world revolves around them....

I had a spat with my kids

thrusting a few grands in my kitty

i rushed out, promising myself

that i'll enjoy myself for sure

i entered a mall

frantically seizing packets upon packets

dropping them in the basket one by one,

wearing a smirk for having shopped alone

but..

as the packets came up for billing one by one

i was amused....

each of them were my kids favourites

oh my gosh i realise suddenly

my world revolves around my kids

i am no world without them

the moon

I gaze in wonder at the luminous moon

so pure, untouched, calm

free from the bustling world

so happy, so contented,clamouring not for more

promenading in the suns reflected glory

it seems to chuckle at our trivial squabbles

our greed for success,our frantic race for it,

our obsession with 'I' 'ME 'MINE

shrivelling many as we succeed

Ratnaprabha raykar

hands

hands

I look with awe at worn out gnarled hands of a labourer

how well have they have served their master

mesmerised am I by a doctors hands gone rough with formaldehyde

how many lives saved they have

go green do I by matured hands of an elder woman

how many mouths have they satiated

watch with disbelief at hands of young village girls

who finish with alacrity a hundred tasks

smitten by love am I small tender hands

which raise only to touch with love

but.....

swept with pity am I by delicate manicured hands

which know only to look pretty and nothing else

Ratnaprabha Raykar

my dad

i searched in vain for pictures of my dad

pictures large and small

pictures painted and sketched

pictures zoomed in and maximized

lacking the spirit he had

none showed him as he was

it made a dismal me

later, later,later

I found him painted in the hearts of people

he loved and was loved

etched in their memories

even after a decade

me an old house

demolishers descend upon me with chisel and crowbars
strike me where i am vulnerable most
they look at me with glee
deciding which part of me is juicest
out come my doors and windows
which lineup with SALE labelled on them

devoid of walls i still live on
hoping my walls will rise again
but hey what do i see
walls rise to reach the sky
shaping cubicles large and small
each vying with the other
trying to glean shoppers from each other

My spirit is tattered between them
am i living or dead or multiplied

ratnaprabha r raykar

god give him strength

God give him strength As I was lighting my diya in front of Ganesha I had only one prayer in my heart God give him strength Give him strength to bear the immense trust and hope in him reposed HE is their messiah-their deliverer turbulent times have shaken them troubles and misery has trickled into their lives they look upto him for redemption silken gossamer dreams woven they have Make him god tread carefully and steadily make their dreams come true ratnaprabha r raykar

Pure white I cannot fathom
the multihues you hide within yourself

On a baby swathed in white
you take on the colour of innocence and joy

On a pious man
you are coloured with selflessness

On a doctor you take on the colour
of efficiency,confidence and dedication

On a nurse
You are service in person

A widow's clothes tint you with
sadness and helplessness

A postmortemed body in white
wringes pain in the heart

Who are the real YOU
HE saw seven colours
But I see many many more

Ratnaprabha R Raykar

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