Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Happenings




Whatever happens, happens for good... 

A city happens, history happens, 
Leaves and flowers happen.
The inebriated earth holds all happenings,
as it were, on a stage in display. 

If you bump into a tree 
they will call you blind, for, 
blindness too happens like death
like the noontide in the black sea. 


What is freedom then? 
Is it another happening in this 
world stage of eternal becoming? 
Do I have no choice in anything? 
Have I too happened without the freewill of my Maker

Copyright © 2017 by Oliva Rath. All rights reserved. This material cannot be copied and reproduced in any form without permission.

The Direction




Hold firm O Man, 
the oar of morals, 
as you sail through life. 

As the tempest of trouble approaches,
fear not and anchor your mind, 
to your faith on God. 

The waves of emotion will soon settle 
and you will find direction
that approaches to a peaceful destination...
(a successful end of life).


Copyright © 2017 by Oliva Rath. All rights reserved. This material cannot be copied and reproduced in any form without permission.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Rotting



Plugged and placed to beautify
In a vase golden lined,
For few days, For few eyes.

The water half full, Betraying...
Giving hope to buds
who still wait to bloom.

Pleasure seeking eyes
raping her innocence,
vermiculating on petals each time.

Stands tall the Flower,
Still smiling wide for 
the ROTTING beneath to hide.


Copyright © 2017 by Oliva Rath. All rights reserved. This material cannot be copied and reproduced in any form without permission.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

The Weep



Choked...Fought
Came out the drops...
Surrendered to
with humiliation...
As they humbly
find a way
narrowing down to
the lip corners
that once broadened
with dreams cupped.

A tide
as they came
swept away the dreams
left sediments on lips
salty as they
would taste now
dry, cracked, infertile
to again smile.


Copyright © 2017 by Oliva Rath. All rights reserved. This material cannot be copied and reproduced in any form without permission.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Without You



My hammer missed the nail
My left thumb was smashed.


I stifled my scream, holding
the dripping finger over my nose tip,
till a drop trickled down,
coursing its way from the nose
through my cleavage to my navel.


Did not it bleed all through?
Or is it the single drop that led to
the core, painted my pain so blue??


In no time my seasoned skin
drank away the aged wine.
I lay numb, was pushed to
the land of unknown alone,
by the lofty waves of memories.


A known hand lifted me.
As rippled past touched senses,
I knew it was He.


I asked him to hold on time;
Now for long till Life
can't further bind. He
smiled and said "I wish I could",
and pressed the left-hand tight.


Ahhh!


I opened my eyes to see,
I lay inside the coffin I built.


I hammered the last nail to the casket,
as I bled tears and closed my eyes.



Copyright © 2017 by Oliva Rath. All rights reserved. This material cannot be copied and reproduced in any form without permission.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Cross Your Time Zone




Ten times each hour...
Each call for ten minutes...
You said:
"Where from will I get hundred minutes...
per hour? Your time range is
beyond my cosmic frame;
My network cannot reach your nexus".


Come now, I am waiting for you...
The mehendi in my hands has not faded,
the peacocks on my cheeks still dance,
waiting for the June showers.
My full breasts, which you call
Golden mounds, are lacquered,
like Juno's Swans swimming
in the milky sea of love.
My roseate lips
are of the selfsame sheen.
My Laxmi feet washed clean
with turmeric and honey;
Are decorated with lac-dye
and sliver dust which
this marble floor lusts to clasp.
And, my sun-kisses eyes
in this milky moon night,
are dreamy and somnolent
for your soft murmurs of love.


Come; I have waited for centuries...
Now I am tired of time,
Your minutes and hours
are beginning to choke me.


Do you want DEATH to win over TIME???



Copyright © 2017 by Oliva Rath. All rights reserved. This material cannot be copied and reproduced in any form without permission.

Friday, March 18, 2011

S.H.E.



After spending moments...looking to and through the greens...lines I would share:

She was transplanting saplings
Leading a host of agri-workers
Singing, crooning or humming
I could not decipher from my place;
Place! Yes a mound of my own lethargy
From which I watched mankind at work
In the generative earth.


I saw her bent back, golden legs
Half sunk in the fertile slush
Her hands moved like lightning
From side to side, up and down
Promising food for mankind.
Her sweat-soaked saree tied
Securely to her waist
Pressed to her knees, forearms
Tattooed by mud and blades of grass.


I moved out, - it was so easy!
I ran; Yes I ran neither chased nor chasing
I ran in that mud and slush
Avoiding the planted seedlings
Ignoring the hey! Hey! Of the planters.
I stood panting before her
Equidistant from life and death


I said...


“I know who you are now!”


She looked up: Her face spattered
And splashed with patterns of slush!
On her forehead the Great Bear
Her hair winnowed by the sunlit air
Was a waving canopy of a benign sky;


Her cheeks bore the kisses of the earth,
Her nose balancing the twinkling eyes
Was the fulcrum of the dance of life.
She pursed her scarlet lips perhaps to speak
Then closed it with the words, “you know me how?”


Her eyes looked at me questioning -
“After uncountable centuries! After
Million births and billion deaths?”
I looked around to listen
No, not body or eyes or lips spoke
But I heard what I thought she spoke.


“Who am I then? She finally asked.


You are SHE, you are SHE


SHE?


“Source of Human Energy”


She stood up laughing breathlessly.



Copyright © 2017 by Oliva Rath. All rights reserved. This material cannot be copied and reproduced in any form without permission.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

IN THE LASTING SILENCE - "A HOPE"

On My Uncle's Death

You have settled above, watching over
Each one (you left behind), giving cover
From rain and Sun, as you'd have done
If you were still here - among us, one.

We miss the smile, the mirth and the joy,
The kind heart akin to that of a boy
And though we have mourned their loss
You know we want for us back all those.

Guided by moon light, you come to stand
And touch sleeping heads with blessing hand;
You bloom in the silence of our sleep,
Make memories vivid, jewels forever to keep.

Days blur, memories haze, faces overlap
But still in dreams at night or a day's nap,
You seal within us, hidden behind Time,
Memories of you rare to again find.

So Time, take no pride, for we believe
You would soon revive what you bereave;
Guiding the soul inside, a ray would make way
And with hope we will all wait for the day.


Copyright © 2017 by Oliva Rath. All rights reserved. This material cannot be copied and reproduced in any form without permission.

FIRE & WATER



Fire and Water once met on the hedge-
Fire flared, Water hissed, to acknowledge
Fire's to Water what snake's to snake-catcher,
But they can still keep what's most to matter.
Fire and Water played delicate games-
Burning and quenching amidst the flames;
The Contest played even for most the while,
For one winning would make It all futile.
Water soon loathed Fire's searing heat,
While his stock drained, lightening his feet;
Before long, he refused to play further,
Grew his indifference, cloaking his torture.
So Fire then grew three-fold in fiery,
And Water slunk away entirely-
Fire beat about like a ghost possessed,
Water pondered what kept Fire obsessed...
***
Water wouldn't know even if he froze
That all Fire craves is Water's approach,
For the burning throughout soul and body
Can only quench in Water's custody.

Copyright © 2017 by Oliva Rath. All rights reserved. This material cannot be copied and reproduced in any form without permission.

Friday, August 14, 2009

BACK-STAB



Ah friendship! To what depths can you plummet,
In the advent of your sombre twilight?

Does your back oozing red not highlight
The stark imminence of your sorry death?

Time was when you fed your morsels of faith
To a parched palate lying stripped of taste;
But all now fills this drab expanse of waste
Is the portent of your lumbering wraith!

Yes, I, the wretched king of 'ungrateful's,
Has seen you writhing in my betrayal,
Despite your standing by gold-tinted rules-
All of which- now consigned to history,
Has, doubtless, enticed the friend disloyal
To stab your back to end your misery.


Copyright © 2017 by Oliva Rath. All rights reserved. This material cannot be copied and reproduced in any form without permission.