Sah Poems | Examples

Back-biting bites own back

Who so maligns a noble man, 
None but his own self tends to stain,
The ash thrown over head,
On one’s own head gets spread,
O indulge in no smear campaign.
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Translation |28.01.2025| wisdom,  

 Poet’s note: Sanskrit has thousands of verses of wisdom called Subhashhitam. This verse warns us against maligning others. Doing so reflects on one’s own credibility. If you take a fistful of ash and throw it in air, it would fall on your own head. The transliteration of the Sanskrit verse follows:

Nindaam yah kurute saadhoh, 
tathaa svam dooshayati asau |
Khe bhootim yah tyajet uchhaih, 
moordhnih tasya eva sah patet ||

That poem alone pleases

That man alone seems charming,
Who a fancied lass finds fascinating, 
That poem is a piece of art
That captivates a reader’s heart. 
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Translation |12.01.2025| man, woman, poem
 
Poet’s note: Sanskrit has thousands of verses of wisdom called Subhashhitam. Which man can be called truly charming? As per this shloka, he who’s found attractive to a woman, to whom a woman is drawn. Okay, what type of poem abducts a reader’s heart? That which is found interesting to a reader who knows poetry; forget all the critics. The transliteration of the Sanskrit verse follows:

Ramanieeya sah hi purushhah, 
ramanee yatra eva rajyate vidagdhaa |
Shlokah sah eva su-bhagah-chittam,
saktam hee yatra rasikasya || 217 ||

Slippery, the ways of love

Forever who’s in my thoughts, she
Alas is indifferent to me,
And for someone else longs,
Whose heart elsewhere belongs,
And that someone in turn loves me!

Fie to such devious love indeed, 
Scorn to my love’s lover, 
And his love, scorn to her, 
To Eros, to ways of Cupid, 
And oh, shame to me so stupid. 
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Translation | | love

Poet’s Note: Bhartruhari was a poet king in central India in the seventh century CE, who when disillusioned in love renounced kingdom and became an ascetic. Neeti Shatakam, a compilation of hundred verses on moral values was written by him along with Shringar Shatakam on romance, and Vairagya Shatakam on dispassion and renunciation. This verse is taken from Neeti Shatakam.    

Yam chintayami satatam mayi sa virakta
Sa api anyam icchanti janam sah janah anya-saktah |
Asmat krte cha pari-shushyati kachid anya
Dhik tam cha tam cha madanam cha imam cha mam cha || 1 || Metre: Vasantatilaka

Let delight trail plight

Joys thrill upon suffering grief,
In dense darkness lamp’s light as if,
Good days all gone, should one get bad,
All alive, poor soul lives like dead.            
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Translation |31.10.2024|happiness, joy, grief, men

Poet’s note: Sanskrit has thousands of verses of wisdom called Subhashhitam. Like the light of a lamp in utter darkness, happiness that follows after a period of sorrows feels good. One that experiences poverty after a period of plentiful feels utter helplessness. He lives like a dead man though alive. The transliteration of the Sanskrit verse follows:

Sukham hi duhkhaani anubhooya shobhate, 
ghana andhakaareshhu iva deepa-darshanam |
Sukha-anta yah yaati narah daridrataa, 
dhritah shareerena mritah sah jeevati ||

Wherefrom the wise walked be the way

Holy books differ, differ their adage,
No one sage whose word is a standard gauge,
As roots of virtue deep down lay,
Wherefrom the wise walked be the way. 
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Translation |06.10.2024| scriptures, path of virtue,   

Poet’s note: Sanskrit has thousands of verses of wisdom called Subhashhitam.  A question was asked as to what is the right and virtuous path to follow. In answer comes this verse. Shrtis and Smrtis : Two main sources of learning and knowledge in ancient India. Few things were written down in those days. Hence shrtis, what is heard, and smrtis, included all that is remembered, contemplated upon, and also sanskaaras. This verse comes from Mahabharata’s Yaksha Prashna episode in Aadi Parva. The transliteration of the Sanskrit verse follows:

Shritir vibhinnaa smritayah cha bhinnaa, na ekah munih yasya vachah pramaanam |
Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhaayaam, mahaa-janah yena gatah sah panthaah ||

Time to regret in life

Not so done for brotherhood’s good,
Charity nor for truth you’ve stood,
The day you fuss, your failure fret,
That be the time ought ye regret.
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Translation |12.09.2024|life, truth, charity, brotherhood 

Poet’s note: Sanskrit has thousands of verses of wisdom called Subhaashhitam. This one is taken from my selection of translations. One regrets so many things that he need not. Yet, there are but a few things that he should really regret if not accomplished. The transliteration of the Sanskrit verse follows:

hitam na kinchit  vihitam parasya,
daanam na dattam na cha satyam uktam |
yasmin dine nishfalataam prayaatah,
sah eva kaalah parikhedanasya ||

All in vain

Raising hands, hoarse do I cry, 
No one hears, nor bothers to try, 
Wealth and wants be had by virtue, 
Why not then that’s what ye pursue? 
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Translation |01.09.2024|
Poet’s note:  At the end of the massive hundred thousand verses of Mahabharata, a historical epic in poetic medium, poet Vyasa in utter desperation comes to this verse on dharma. Now, dharma is the central theme of this epic and a lot is said on it. Yet, few seem to follow this virtuous path of dharma. The transliteration of the Sanskrit verse follows:

Urdhva baahu viraumi esha, na cha kashchit shrunoti me |
Dharmaat arthah cha kaamah cha, sah kim artham na sevyate  || 
                                                     - Mahabharata, Bhaarat Saavitri ||

Vashi Bhoot

Vishav anthha goom goom sah vansha Jam chakara bayhdem na chotam prithvi loakha nir goon ahankara bashi bhootam naan priya na shaskaly nir paapm sang hasth dhehk adhiyoag mhakal... 
Vashi booth samprpyami 
Om. Maa 
15:30

Words Are Fun Tah Dah Tad De Doo

Words are fun 
Tah Dah Tad De Doo
Skipping with sun
Carousing in blue

I am eager to drink coffee
From a faerie elf’s shoe
Add a little sweet toffee
Lah Shah Lad She Doo

Writing is amazing
Sah Wah Sad We Sue
Cattle come a grazing
Nah Mah Nad Me Moo

Wuensche

Konnte nicht schlafen also folgte ich einem Gefühl / es führte mich zu einem wohlbehalten Fluss / unbewacht ließ ich mich nieder / hörte die Natur und wünschte mir, ich könnte sie in mir verstehen / sah eine Fliege und wünschte mir, ich könnte auch so hoch hinaus / roch die Bäume und wünschte mir, ich könnte so verbunden sein  / blickte zum Grün und wünschte nichts mehr /
stand rasch auf / ein Gesetz hatte ich bergriffen / mein Gewicht sollte niemanden wehtun / und ich erkannte / nur Wünsche zu haben ist hier niemals gut genug /
Empfindungen folgen ist der Beginn /

Bruecken

Ich sah wohl Gefühle - weit gereiste;
Träume hinter brüchigen Nebeln,
vereinsamt wie die stolzen Brücken
legten sie sich auf meine Sprache nieder,
als Gestrandete - verletzt im Verloren sein,
drückten sie in mir etwas nieder,
das nun einsam in den Kellern meiner Triebe kühl verweilt, 
wie all die Ungereimtheiten einer jeden großen Liebe.

Liebe Wie Ein Wasserfall

Seine liebe war wie ein Wasserfall,
Erfrischend und rein,
Er sah wie ein Prinz von weiten Lande,
Seine Princessin wartet zu Hause fuer Ihn,
Wiesen mit fruehlings Blumen,
Voegel sangen ein huebsches Lied,
Sie wanderten den Bergen,
Zu Hause mit Gott und Welt,
Natur Bild schoen,
Er umarmt sie und sagte ich liebe dich,
Sie schaute Ihn an und er kuesste sie,
Eine liebe Freundschaft hatten sie.

Author : Gwen von Erlach Schutz

Dialogue

DIALOGUE

PREFACE:
It was the dawn of a new day;
knowledge and truth sought and given.
As I gave, so was I again taught.

(Ask, and it shall be given)

Student:
“Teacher, same said Egypt ina Africa
lak ina de Bible?”

Teacher:
“Same said Egypt, son;
same said Africa.”

(Seek, and you shall find)
 
Student:
“But Teacher,
dem neva tell we 
dat, Sah.”

(By night they stole us; by day they maimed our minds)

Teacher:
“I know son;
But we now teach ourselves”
our story.”

Student:
“Ah true, Teacher; ah true.
Dis day be a new day dat’a com.”

(Truth, trampled to the ground, always rises)

POSTSCRIPT:
Free your mind and you are;
but like butterflies, be aware
of the rain.

(The truth shall set you free)

Ho-Kee-Hun-Noh'-Sah

 She is the Sun-
That left Light in my Eyes-
Embers in my Heart
&
Fire in my Soul.

1930s Dirranbandi Mucky Eye Fix

1930s Dirranbandi Mucky eye fix

Coming back from bloody Cobar,
 where the dust storms used to blow,
came the mucky eyed with Sandy Blight,
as the mucky eyed do go,

back in the thirties - forties,
Ning-a-Ning Joseph saw em, hah,
When ole man Wise took to fixing,
Mucky eyeballs, yes bloody sah!

Widdle in a bottle, swirl the mixture, sweet delight,
Add a little drop of Ainaseed, to kill the smell orright,
Splash it on the eyeball, let it trickle tickle there,
Just a widdle bit of seeing,
Till yer sight was bloody fair,

The mucky eyed no longer gummed up, & eyelid red,
just the trickle on the eyeball, fixed the mucky yucky head,
Ole wise was up 4 sainthood at the Black stump water hole,
A widdle bit of widdle cleans the eye and soothes the soul?

Don Johnson

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