Home » Poems » T Wignesan » The Best of the Night To You, Too, Bala - Part One

The Best of the Night To You, Too, Bala - Part One

Part One

                  for E. Balasubramaniam
                                      (June 13, 1935 - August 7, 1993)

So you took the covert road of the night
                                            and stalked me
while I listened to Vivaldi up to midnight
At two when you were ready to go
you woke me stunned stark in your memory
    your impishly entrancing laughter
        your dark bright pupils beaming through the slits of your tightly drawn lids
              your ivory teeth basking in uncontrollable mirth
your blacker than black ear-antennae and higher than high civil-servant brows
          marking your dark-diamond worth
     your patience
           your more than necessary feeling for the less than fortunate friends and relatives
stretched cummerbund tight round your caring nature

How you knew how to share your luck
Always a little put out for your beneficiaries' putout-ness
Worrying speechless night after night lest your luck run out
                                         teeth in protesting grind
against the risks of your calculated outstepping

Paths led up straight
for one whose smiles funnelled from the heart
     lit in ever-foraging circles of fire

There was no obstacle to the summit
        for you took with grace
               only what you knew how to spare
with care

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Funom Makama

Date: 6/11/2012 4:04:00 AM

This is great... I really enjoyed it. Nice to get such a blessing in such a beautiful monday afternoon.

T Wignesan
Date: 6/16/2012 12:25:00 AM

Hi Funom! Great to have you come back again! Lucky you - enjoying beautiful weather. Here, in Gay Paris, we're drowning by the hour from gusts raging in from the Atlantic. The second part of the poem, too, might be worth reading to get a wholesome pic of the man. He'd be grateful knowing you're willing to spare the time. EGWish and many thanks. Wignesan