The rigour triggers
the discipline swaggers
the practice alters
the exercise refers
thus goes the day
with a hard work
in rapt attention
not being a day
goes through all days
be that my life
could I deem it as a strife?
Categories
Month: May 2016
Categories
The Cat and The Mouse.
The cat and the mouse game
I played with my friends
on the sprawling grounds of our school
unusually strikes me fast.
Once I played the mouse
and a strong girl the cat
over and over I went in circles
between the rows, beneath the chain
she came charging behind.
I lost my spirit, slowed down
knew that would be the end
oh! no, she hit on a stone
and broke her leg.
I came out free.
A game of energy and will
shows your strength and skill
over and above lies one more
being one of luck all so vital
determines the victory and defeat.
Categories
I Turn A Planter.
An experience of a kind,
from the comforts of the living room
to the hot oil palm estates,
a startling one!
I flew to Malaysia
a decade back
to participate in a festival
God willed it otherwise
I am deep into business
full time as much.
Teluk Intan.the town, where I am,
is commended as the best zone
for oil palm cultivation
having fertile black alluvial soil
most suitable for palms.
I, in my new role, as a planter,
wear big estate boots
don a straw hat and grab
a walking stick to support me
in case, I slip on the marshy tract
with packed lunch, all arrangements pacca.
I start my first day’s work
I find
the trees, tall almost 40 feet
fruits, big weighing 50 kilos
a massiveness in all
surroundings inordinately hot
possessed by a silence,
deadly silence, fearful.
Awesome and amazing on one side
uncomfortable and stuffy on the other
Gosh! I sweat in and out.
the palms release excess humidity
adding to the global warming
My journey has begun
before I could come to terms
a visit to the estates turns compulsory
every fifteenth day, I mark my attendance,
not for the sake but in earnest.
I supervise the harvest
learn to speak a few words in Malay
boleh, pegi, mana, makan
(can, go, where, food)
address the workers as cawan
meaning my good friend.
Harvesting is done with long rods
could be lengthened and shortened
according to the tree’s height.
A sickle is attached to the rod
a sharp cut on the exact spot
and a heavy pull brings the fruit down
it falls with a huge noise.- thud
the heart jumps out.
A novice I am, as seen in an incident
being engrossed in foreseeing the harvest
failed to notice the fall of a fruit
I was fortunately pushed aside by one of the harvesters
but for that, my head would have been
broken
and my brains would have jutted out.
The pickers,
with a wheelbarrow
pick the fruits with ease
pile them in heaps
at a vantage point in each row.
I go behind each harvester
talk in bahasa Melayu
ini, ini, buah, buah I shout
pointing to the fruits they have missed
he nods and says boleh .
I order the pickers to collect
the loose berries lying around
call out to them sini mari la[/i
funny to see me turn into
a hard task master.
the loose berries lying around
call out to them sini mari la[/i
funny to see me turn into
a hard task master.
It is the way I learnt
it is how I live today.
behind the harvesters
between the rows of [i]kelapa sawit
beneath the trees
with the orangutans and snakes
playing around.
I walk past the rows briskly
a leech (attai) clings to my sari
crawls stealthily in
clings to my calf muscles
I shout with pain,
try to seize it
it stuck even more steadfast
sucked the blood through
fell down dead soon after.
I cried ayyaaoo ayaaooo in pain
excruciating it was, my eyes well
the harvester smiled all knowingly
said to me gently, with a concern
puan, tidak much untuk menjadi seorang penanam kelapa sawit
“it is not easy to be a planter.”
Categories
A Faux Pas
A faux pas it was
a blunder so to say
he commits one after another
a daredevil he is
impulsive in a way
acts in a speed
plunders and loots
eats and devours
robs and steals
mind not my over telling
it be his manner in an all
a criminal with a quest
one to overturn and create a chaos.
Categories
The Negates.
Lay around in a deluge
articles of all sort
none to touch.
Scattered all around
is a family of six
none in terms.
Withered all around
lay the grains
none to irrigate.
The singing bird
is terribly ill
no music around.
Having lost his wealth
by spending extravagantly
he lies in despair.
Drunk to the brim
the drunkard lies
on the road uncared.
Known for his misdemeanour
the wayward son goes astray
wish he not been born.
Have cited too many negates
an indication be they alone.
caution be yours.
Categories
An Unfaithful Lover.
A lot more could be said
silenced by the consequences
she goes away from the limelight
for reasons best known to her
a saddened heart be all for a cause.
Tossed and torn by love
she lost her grace, on the whole
her charm has waned
she looks a grief struck and bitten
by the destiny’s cruel hands.
The love she bore for a man
was well accepted in the beginning
later it turned into a faithless one
his eyes all set on her money
which stood beyond billions.
She gave him liberally at first
censored as she smelt of an unfaithfulness
which provoked him to the most
unkind he turned at once
sadistic and selfish all in one.
She cut her ties with him
could be the physical one
done so easily and smoothly
while her agony tormented her for long
being one of the mind and heart.
Categories
A Drive Up and Down — Metaphorical
It was a long drive from my place
we went at a moderate pace
no ups and downs on the forward
vehicular traffic was towards
negotiated with a knack and patience
well, need very much of a tolerance.
While coming back it was a way different
took the less traversed road being deviant
crossed through slopes and bends many
absolutely free from the traffic of any
we drove at a high speed in a fun
one of a peaceful journey worth a ton.
Could I see myself as the same in my life?
a lot of hurdles initially intercepted
found a way to the destination in a struggle
if I had been more aggressive
paused for a while and turned regressive
this time, I came out successfully
I learnt the lesson rather too late.
Categories
Cruel and Merciful
A cruel destiny
takes all the three children’s life
the parents remain unconsoled.
A merciful destiny
gives them another child the next year
a consolation for the loss.
Categories
Ten Years.
I look back with joy
ten long years have gone
I am still on.
I came for a holiday
ten years have turned
all my days.
I purposefully came
ten years back to watch an event
now, I am a savant.
The turns and twists in my life
cannot be arranged in order
push me to a disorder.
I am a circumstantial prisoner
in and out I go and come
better if I had been dumb.
Categories
An Array Of Beads
An array of beads
green, red and blue
yellow being the loveliest
a string of all
could be loved by all
wish to make one
just for fun.
Meenas Poems 