THE BLIND AND AN ELEPHANT

Said he, one of my friends,
'He is one of the unmentioned persons.'
I replied, 'You asked for an explanation
from the blind who were investigating an elephant.
The confusion arose from that.'

'Confusion? What confusion?'
My friend put his hand on his head, wondering.

An Urban Man's Lament!

From natural trees to trees of concrete,
from ape to human,
from ancient human to superhuman,
this marks an evolutionary growth,
says the kin of humans who landed on the moon.

Absorbing light is a common trait
for both these types of trees.
It's an explanation of the intelligence
of the most intelligent creature.

Poem 3: Kannamma! Are you just a mesh of particles and a field? (Kannamma poem 3)

Here, does anything called truth exist?
What I see, your existence
are they real?
How can I believe they're real?
Tell me.
You say that you exist.
You say your existence is real.
You also say you exist separately from me.
How can I believe it?

Poem 2: Space-Time Prisoners (Kannama poem 2)

In the space-time,
I wonder about your kind heart.
Each moment, I would like to fly in the space-time,
Each moment, enjoying thinking about space-time.
Kannamma, I would like to think about
breaking all barriers.

Kannamma, time doesn't exist alone.
Kannamma, space is also like that; it never exists alone.
Kannammaa, space-time is the only one that exists;
it's the only truth here, Kannamma.

Poem: Kannamma! We Are the Elements of a Four-Dimensional painting! (Kannamma Poem 1)

Expanding in a large space,
Who drew this four-dimensional painting here,
dear Kannamma?
Do you think there are
more multi-dimensional paintings,
beyond four that exist parallel Kannamma?
If they do, do you believe  or
Do you think
There is a way to reach them
Kannamma?
Please tell me,
my dear Kannamma!

Poem: A message for Stallion-Stealers! – V.N. Giritharan – Translation in English by Latha Ramakrishnan

Hey you, the Stallion-Stealers!
Here is a message for you.
I am a caretaker of horses.
Not a trader.
A genuine, straightforward caretaker.
I have so many sturdy stallions with me.
Indeed all of them are real good.
They are not lame ones.
I have great affection for
all the horses in my possession
I treat them with no discrimination.
I am not one to rear or sell crippled horses
Still – Hei you, the Stallion-Stealers!
You’ve become more troublesome.

Hey you, the Stallion-Stealers!
You have great expertise in stealthily jumbling
the stolen stallions, into the herd.
The horses that you’ve stolen from me
or out to steal from me
are not at all crippled.
They are real good ones;
strong and sturdy also.
But they’re real frenzied ones
which won’t falter but fight to the finish.

Poem: Liberated Bird of the Secluded Empire by V.N.Giritharan | Translation in English by By Dr. R. Dharani

I was bound in the empire of seclusion
Neither as a slave nor as an emperor …. Never
As the completely liberated bird that
Incessantly renders the musical note of joy

In the unfettered world, is there any phantom of distress?
In the world with no laws, is there any dejection possible?
The luminous companions hid themselves sheepishly behind my soaring
In the avenues of the Cosmos, it’s highly condescending
To hang on to the drifting flutter.

In the purpose-manifest life,
No repercussions nor yearning

I was bound in the empire of seclusion
Neither as a slave nor as an emperor …. Never
As the completely liberated bird that
Incessantly renders the musical note of joy

Poem- Oh, Super Human! Where have you concealed yourself? - In Tamil: V.N.Giritharan; Translation in English Dr. R. Dharani –

Concrete! Concrete and Concrete
Walls! Ingesting the rays to radiate flames
Blameless, pellucid white surface,
Chuckling Cement-clad pathway.
In the embrace of the audacious columns,
lies enraptured spaces
heat rays cut through the layers of air.
In the pleasure of delusion over
The grass being excited
by the smiles of dew drops,
There is a gloomy cloud of thought over
The cool Lady Earth under her blue canopy.

The embracing dreams of the
Drooping tree belles’ cuddle.

The impact of artificiality
Spreading over Nature’s repository.

In trees, on grass, in herds, in caves,
In the dreadful hours of darkness,
Panicked by the lightning storm, under the torrential shower,
Coiled up in the times of bewilderment,
Continued the ancient journey

In the gyres of Nature’s Effect,
Lies the life captivated.
Are the gyres blissful dawns?
Are they the fascinating Arcadia?

A WALK THROUGH CORONA-WRAPPED NIGHT By V.N.GIRITHARAN – | Translation By Dr.K.S.Subramanian

- This poem is in the poetry book 'LOCKDOWN LYRICS,' a collection of poems translated and compiled by Dr. K.S. Dubramaniyan.-

I came out
in a midnight.
The city was immersed in slumber.
The impact of virus.
The city remained curled up.
Why not a spin on the bicycle.
Yes, I did.
My city sojourn continues.
At a distance in majestic response
Lake Ontario.
On the bank cuddling its young one
a mother fox.
Darting across the street
and disappearing in a trice
a few deer.
It seems
Ozone hole has shrunk.
The flowing Ganges turned clean.
In a life ruled by essentials
the fancy purchases of non-essentials
have shrunk.
While returning
after the city round
my heart seized by a mild grief.
The rivers going to lose their
limpidity.

POEM BY V.N.GIRITHARAN Translated into English by Latha Ramakrishnan

Camels don’t get disheartened by the deserts
They don’t become disconsolate.
They are not frightened by the blowing wind.
Willingly seek and undertake long journeys
with water stored _
They love it all the more.
Whenever there is tornado within
swimming in the tumultuous sea inside
With the boats lost
I invariably think of camels.
Should remain stoic like a camel
I would resolve.
At those times
the camels enduring all adversities
would occupy my mind.