Tuesday, July 25, 2006

ரயில் பயணத்தில்...

Question : What happens when a girl like me travels alone in a long distance train and it gets stuck at someplace for 3 hours?
Answer: She attempts poetry.

These are my creations at such time...

ரயில் ஜன்னல் வழி நோக்க
கூடவே வந்தது தண்டவாளம்
எட்டி பார்த்தேன்
முடிவு தெரியவில்லை
அதுவும் நம் நட்பை போல்தானா?



கனவில் கன்னம் கிள்ளினான் அவன்
விழித்தபின் வலிக்கிறது
சுகமாய் மனதில்

"தலை வலிக்கிறது", என்றாய்
"எனக்கும்", என்றேன்.
"உனக்குமா", என வினவினாய்
உன் வலியை நான் உணர்வதை நீ உணராமல்.

Friday, July 21, 2006

பார்வை

அதிகாலை நேரம்
என் வீட்டுவாசல் வழி
சிறு ஓடை கண்டேன்
அதில் இளங்கதிர்களின்
விளையாட்டை கண்டேன்
ரசித்தேன்
பின்னர் உணர்ந்தேன் - அது
அருகில் இருக்கும் உணவகத்தின்
கழிவு நீர் என்று
கதிரவனுக்கு தெரியவில்லையே அது!

Thursday, July 13, 2006

A Trip to the Surface

It was the day that Shiko the fish has been eagerly waiting for. After a long time he and his wife Rayno are expecting a baby fish. Shiko was waiting nervously outside the anemone cluster. Inside the cluster was Rayno and the baby will hatch any moment!
After what seemed like ages, Shiko heard the soft voice of Rayno calling her husband in. Shiko rushed in and saw the most beautiful little baby fish ever.
"Shiko, darling, it's a girl" said Rayno.
Shiko didn't say anything. He couldn't.
He gently nudged the baby with his fin.
Rayno said "Shiko, our baby was born on Full moon day. I'd like her to be called Luna".
Shiko nodded his head and said "That's a lovely name, baby. Luna it is. Our Luna. Our Little Princess".
Days passed by. Luna was almost 2 weeks old and she was learning to go out of her anemone cluster. But her doting parents never let her go out of their sight even for a moment.
Luna had heard about the wonders of the big ocean from the Old Crab who lived in retirement in the next cluster. She wanted to see for herself the many treasures of the sea and something they called the 'sky'.
But Shiko and Rayno kept telling her it wasn't time yet for her to venture out so far.
But after continuous requests, they agreed to take her out near the surface.
Luna was so excited to be going! Atlast she was going to see the 'sky'!
Shiko, Rayno and Luna swam all the way up and reached the surface.
Luna could not look enough! Shiko showed her the great big bright blue thing up there and told her that was the 'sky'.
"And look Luna, those white fluffy things are called Clouds" said Shiko.
"What is that daddy", asked Luna.
"Which one?", enquired Shiko.
"That long white thing moving among the clouds", pointed Luna.
"Oh that looks like a shooting star. You can see the trail it's leaving behind" said Shiko.
"Shiko dear, I don't think that's a shooting star...", said Rayno.
At that very moment the long white thing burst into many pieces.
"Hey I know, that's fireworks!" exclaimed Shiko.
"Oh daddy, it's so scary" said Luna.
The pieces were coming very fast towards them. And when they fell in the water they created such a big splash that for a moment all three lost sight of each other. Luna felt the water turning hot where the pieces had fallen. She could not see her mother or father. She called out to her parents but no answering voice came back to her.
It was a lone little lost voice calling out to the parents who will never answer back.
An announcer's voice from a radio in a passing fisherman's boat spewed out the news "GSLV crashes into the sea", which made no sense at all to the forlorn little Luna.

Friday, July 07, 2006

Re-mixed...and messed up!

I was making noodles for dinner and had the radio on for company. I was quietly enjoying the cooking and the listening....all of a sudden my ladle stopped, my eyes widened and I went rigid with shock.

I had just heard the re-mixed version of an old song.

Only yesterday I realized the true meaning of "Old is Gold". The song that was being tortured was a motivating and inspiring number from a top actor of yesteryears. He had played the role of a slave in the movie and in this particular song he talks about how to make best use of our situations however down we maybe, emotionally and socially. This song had been written in such a way that it fits in the general scheme of life too. The song is eloquent, emotional, rousing and in short captivating. The singer had a deep voice and his delivery was impressive.

And yesterday I heard this song completely mutilated. I'm sure the silly little music director had lofty ambitions of "making a mark". Also I'm sure the singer, the poor guy, thought he was making a statement with the "modern" way he was singing.

The result was absolutely detestable.

The deep rich baritones of the original singer had been replaced by a guy who sang from the tip of his tongue. And it was the wrong tip too. There were unneccassary "ooooooooohs" and "aaaaaahhhhhs" in the middle of the song by a bunch of screaming females.

Altogether the music director (God save him!) had accomplished whatever he had set out to do, make a mark!
You did it my friend, You created a deep impression in me.
At the end, I was left wondering, "WHY???"
Why did he have to take a quite, unassuming song that was harmlessly going its way and completely demoralise it?
All I hope is that when the Day of Judgement comes, all these will be taken into account!
:-)