Appears a mysterious land from far,
Dream of vermilion sky at mystic dawn
Prayers heard from boats on holy river,
Mythical chants floating in consciousness.
My birthplace - ancient city reminding
Of vedas and epics, saints and hermits,
A land of literature, poetry,
Music, art, picturesque architecture...
For thousands of years verses flow in air
land of Kalidasa and Valmiki.
Flattered... my name meaning a Princess of ancient times,
In the state of Malawa, where temple-bells rang chimes,
Bard, Kalidasa, composed in Sanskrit an epic great
About a Princess and her story of disguise and fate.
Agnimitra, handsome Prince, enamoured by her beauty,
But he was not aware of her true identity!
Thrilled to imagine myself heroine of such a story,
romance, and intrigue - part of a history and glory!
To some, my name symbolises a purple flower,
Which never fails to charm viewers’ hearts, in its bower.
To some others, it represents a graceful supple plant,
My mother thought I was a blessing which her God did grant!
My father exclaimed - she is the “garland” for me,
My daughter, my ultimate joy, a sublime beauty!
Many years they waited eagerly to embrace a girl,
My parents thought - they were gifted a gem purer than pearl.
Little
may my love sound,
yet a bright star I do love,
Stella,
Who in the center of the sky,
being lulled in her mother’s lap,
does blink and wink on the sly to express her divine love.
To express my mortal love,
I wink and blink slyly,
yet she may not clearly see how desperately I do love.
Tell me a way to say my love, to show my love,
mortal love, to
Stella,
my brightest star.
Are earth and sky so far,
so I can’t send a message of love to my brightest star,
in the place of genuine love,
Stella,
my brightest star?
I have no skills to create a cloud of romance, as
Kalidasa,
a great poet, once did, so I’ll make a little,
so little kite to send my letter of love to my brightest star,
Stella.
I published my second collection of poems: "Love, Lust & Dust" in 2018.
Publisher: Sarasavi Publishers, Colombo.
Oct. 15, 2020
Have You Published Poetry Contest
Contest Sponsor: Line Gauthier
The Cloud Messenger
(On reading Meghadootam of Kalidasa)
Words fail to describe its exceeding beauty
Immortalized by the poet of matchless ability
Whose pen danced to the tunes of melody
That conferred on it the status of a celebrity.
Anyone with fondness for outstanding verse
Will at once fall in love with this masterpiece
Each stanza of this great grand composition
Offers immense joy that defies all explanation.
The pining of a lover separated from his love
So dexterously woven in a garland of verse
Depicts eloquently the best of emotive craze
Finds no equivalent in the sphere of literature.
Each word of the classic thoughtfully chosen
Stays untouched to be altered for no reason
The classic language in its finest expression
Makes the poet peerless among the pantheon.
Reading it is a constant source of enjoyment
Delving deep into it is a splendid excitement
Memorizing it is a praiseworthy achievement
And musing on its beauty is sheer merriment.
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