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Best Poems Written by Janaki Mahendran

Below are the all-time best Janaki Mahendran poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

Details | Janaki Mahendran Poem

On My Way To School

I din't travel by bus to school 
Neither did my mother drive  me there
With my friends and cousins
I had the best of childhood fun
During my primary school days
On my  way to school 

Early start from home
The tropical sun was warm
Kids from the neighborhood 
Joined  as we marched by
To feel the magic of the forest
On my  way to school 

Avoiding the main road
And the cobbled village lane
Away from the adult eyes 
Swayed by the occult cries
Of the magic creepy crawlies
On my  way to school 

Shuffling through the silky webs
Of the watchful Arachno- spies
Slowing at the sight of scorpions 
And the scurrying  beetles and centipedes
We bent and crawled  in the woods 
On our  way to school

The subtle sweet taste 
Of the wild cardamoms
Was hardly enough to suck 
and spit the pungent seeds
Yet it was a weird delicacy 
On my way to school 

Shiny purple Passion fruits 
Velvety blue wild olives
Inky violet Bovitiyas
Rasamora  and blackberries 
Stimulated the taste buds
On my way to school

The years have gone by
Dwellings have reached the sky
Cobbled lane has disappeared 
Motor cars are revered 
I wander what the kids do now
On their way to school

Details | Janaki Mahendran Poem

Stinging Nettle

The first among to wake up in the Spring 
The award winner, comes with a sting
Stinging Nettle pubescent and green
Cannot touch the super herbal queen

Urtica dioica is the botanic name 
Dioica is the one with European fame
Tropical cousins are all not the same
Strong and sharp, they can make you lame

Each sting is a delicate hollow  hair
Stiffened with a tip of silica ware 
Swollen base that stores the venom with care
Shoots  its payload, touch,  if you dare

Transmitters are  same as yours and mine
Acytylcholine , serotonin and histamine 
If stung by nettles, remedy is close at hand
Do not go far, Dock is where you stand

Details | Janaki Mahendran Poem

A Migrant Bird's Perspective

Jets and planes have conquered the sky 
Just like us, fly over the deep blue ocean
They have copied us, use avian highways 
But, why are the  singles  unable to fly?
They have made mechanical giants
Which will carry  many of them. 
A pilot navigates the way
They will sit in comfort 
Happily drinking champagne 
Once a pilot asked me, what's your Avian secret?


Our eyes are large for a sharp eyesight 
In air and water, we see well. 
Tube shaped nose enhances smell
Hooked bill is for gripping the fish while flying
The feet at the back,propel us from behind when diving 
Narrow wings regulate, turbulence while flying 
The thickly dense plumage is for  insulation 
The long wingspans produce aerodynamic lift
We can read the sun and stars
Parents teach us navigation skills
Instincts, landmarks, all these help
If you want to fly, this is all, I could say 
Now that we know each other well
I have an important thing to tell

As you know friend, over the time we have evolved well. 
Natural problems, predators and storms are manageable 
Human threats like power lines and hunters are the worst of all
Destroyed habitats, changed environments, make it unbearable 
Turtle dove and many other sea birds now face  extinction 
 Please be kind. Save our migrants without restriction

Details | Janaki Mahendran Poem

From My Lips To Santa's Ears

When I was a child I wrote to you for years
Asking for things that every child admired
Thank you Santa, but now I've many fears
For which, as a grown up answers are required
Man has made his mark in science for good
But the greedy turns it round to cause evil
Half the world is struggling for their food
While the powerful humans  breed ill will
Wars are threats to peace on Mother Earth 
Those who leave their soil become homeless
And in refugee camps mothers still give birth
Christmas time is hard and they are restless
       Dear Santa you must visit every earthling
       Fear not; a peace message in their stocking

Details | Janaki Mahendran Poem

I Share My Grief

Grazing gracefully in the meadows
Among the Autumn dark shadows 
Silhouetted against the fading sunshine
I see your melancholy and decline 

Day by day and Year after year
I saw yourself trembling in fear 
Human orders; You had no say 
when they  took your dignity away

I know the hurt and pain you felt 
When your friends were taken away
I heard your wailing laments 
When  your babes  were dragged away


You have nurtured thousands of nations 
Societies, small and great civilizations 
A glass of milk, with bread and butter 
Cheese on pizza, for  lunch or supper 
Scones with cream for evening tea
For a bundle of hay, your gifts are free
I shan't talk of veal and steak
That will make me numb and weak  

This is my praise and thoughts of you
To release my pain and heartbound woe 
The words aren’t enough for apologies to air 
I know that tomorrow,  you wouldn’t be there

Details | Janaki Mahendran Poem

Do Not Fear Me

Do not fear me, I am with you when you say good night
I will guide you, as I do now it's the end of the day
So, be calm. Gently walk through the fading light

Wrinkled skin and kyphosis, paralyze men with fright
when they see me hovering around, they start to pray
Do not fear me , I am with you  when you say good night

The end is dignity, do not struggle with all your might 
Do what's good, cleanse your mind; all the religions say
So, be calm. Gently  walk through the fading light

I have seen you in great many races, this is not a fight
Cameras clicked and trophies held, you had your own way 
Do it again, I am with you when you say good night 

Life is short,  endless duties,  time is always tight
You lived a life of a genius, thats what people say
So, be calm. Gently walk through the fading light

As you wished, the horse-drawn carriage  isn't white
Your fame is written on  millions of petals, on your way
Do not fear now when it's time to say good night
So be calm. Gently walk through the fading light


This poem is inspired byDo not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas

Details | Janaki Mahendran Poem

A Turkey's Letter To Santa

Dearest Santa, it's to you  I write
To enlighten you about our plight
Isn't the Christmas all about peace?
If so you must listen to our pleas

We are the turkeys, Grown for Christmas 
Genetically selected, fattened for meatiness 
Often in pain due to hip degeneration 
Cannot lift the feet in this situation 
When in a natural habitat, we can fly 
And roost in trees and watch the night sky
But in the factory, overweight and over fed 
We shuffle along and cry in  a dimly-lit shed.

Lack of respect for nature's  wisdom
Profits have compromised birds' freedom 
Male birds are brutally manhandled
And the beaks are  partially amputated 
Mother turkeys are inhumanely  violated
Yet, they never see their eggs hatched
The little ones never know the mother's touch
How can the man be  as cruel as such?

The eggs are taken,  as they are laid
To be hatched in an incubator, man made 
When hatched, they are kept in large units
Thousands packed together for mega profits

Dearest Santa, I am not exaggerating 
There is much cruelty in factory farming 
Slaughter is another harrowing process
Some have long journeys, crammed into crates.

Now that you know our story of woe 
Dearest Santa, may I please ask you 
Point a way forward for the human world
Toward a society that cultivates and uphold
Values such as compassion and peace
Only then this cruelty can cease 

At Christmas time when the world is at ease
The children sing with joy and peace
When you visit with gifts and greetings 
Whisper to them about our grievances 
It's too late now for my generation 
But, the future adults may see liberation

Details | Janaki Mahendran Poem

A Dialogue With a Fox

I saw  a little fluffy  creature 
You wouldn’t believe it’s nature
Because you are a human being 
Who will probably label him as cunning
 
He swiftly gave me an inviting look
Which, is not what I read in the book
I went near him, he was very sweet
And told me things, that I should tweet

“Unlike your fellow human creatures
We don’t destroy our planet features
Killing your own , and all other species
Stealing, cheating and devious strategies 
Those are the values caused by greed
Cunningness  surely  is a human creed”

“Don’t be upset, over my few words
I searched for you , among songs birds 
Tweet  all  friends with this little message,
Help us, change our  negative image”

Details | Janaki Mahendran Poem

Returning Home

Returning home

After decades of wandering over the globe
I am back here at the point where I started 
My home at the top of the lush green mountain 
Stood along the canopy like a  monument of time

Through my Mahogany framed windows
I see the cloud capped Seven Virgins
That shook the aviation history
With an unfortunate chilling story
When a  giant metallic bird on it’s flight
Crashed with all  on board in a  cold dark night

I remember the thundering crash
Followed by a screen of flames
Looked like shells we see in films
The smell of burning life and metal
Wafted the air ,like in a field of battle 

Seven Virgins have buried  that memory 
And moved on with the new century 
Dew on  tea bushes, sparkle like diamonds
Cold breeze greets me as I do my errands 
The  choirs  of songbirds and cokatoos
Make me sing and dance to their tunes

 Mother  Nature  noticed my return
Greeted me with a cool shower rain
Everything  makes me feel very young
This is my home, where I belong

Details | Janaki Mahendran Poem

Winnie

Corona virus 

Corona virus; we cannot trust
Hundreds already have become dust
Millions fought back the death's spell
Conquering corona, now living well

Humans greed for sentient foods
And their craving for luxury goods
Led us to destroy the environment 
Purely, for selfish  enjoyment 

Plastics, vinyls float on the waves
For many trendy items we've become slaves
Austerity is only a political slogan
The way we live today is not paragon 

Spanish flu endemic took many lives
Plaque and swine flu, marked our times
Diseases  pass by some have to die
History will repeat and we shouldn't cry

Show compassion  for our fellow creatures 
Treat well our planet's great many features
Accept the good and bad with equanimity
Be all  blessed with Corona immunity 



Winnie.

Although Winnie did not look elderly
Because she  dressed prim and properly
She was constantly there  on the platform 
Not often though, in the railway uniform 

She treats and greets the big and small
Those who pass through the ticket hall
The children call her Grandma sweetie
But she told me that  her home is empty 

Her husband died at the Falklands  War 
Never  had the children much wished for
Being the only child for a single parent
She became a dutiful railway servant

She should receive a community award
For the long term service as a reward
The commuters agreed, the form was signed
But, the following morning she wasn't seeing 

I knocked hard on the ticket office window 
A different woman opened the front door
She looked pale and without a smile
Told me , softly to wait for a while

People dressed in black and white
Came through the door and led their way out 
They gave me a leaflet, it was an eulogy 
Winnie, I am late, accept my apology!