VoicesNet.com Recent Poems of Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad - Copyright for all poems displayed belong to author

AS THE MORNING'S COOL TOUCH SOOTHED by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/9/2009

As the morning's cool touch soothed,
My tired-
And worn out mind,
I smelt a fragrance-
Rich and otherworldly,
Nothing earthly,
No sensual whiff in this!

I looked for it,
Wandered in search of it,
And realized late:
Like a musk deer in haste,
Running in circles,
Intoxicated by its-
Own heady fragrance,
Running hither tither,
In ardent search of it,
While all the while-
It emanated from it!

The fragrance of good thought,
All the while stayed-
Deep inside your mind,
Why to look for it?
Elsewhere, outside of it!
***********************
Indebted to Saint Kabir for this analogy!

BOSS IS LOST IN THOUGHT by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/8/2009

Boss is lost-
In deep thought,
Normally he won't
Even if it-
Is an act,
Needed to save his life,
Or his wallet.

He has the expression,
Of the alley-tabby cat,
who has lost,
A fat fried fish-
To a fatter ,
And more meaner,
Growling tom-cat.

There is this wicked destiny;
For his new Boss:
Is none other than-
His former divorced wife,
Who used to claim-
Huge bills of alimony!

BONDS ACROSS CONTINENTS by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/8/2009

Bonds across continents,
Bridges spanning-
The seven seas,
Kinship cutting-
Like a scythe,
Through the thick woods,
Of race ,creed and views

We visit each others homes,
With sunny smiles,
And good morning wishes!
We are the friends,
Who wish each other-
Good night and sweet dreams,
Through a million portals.

Thank You! Voicesnet,
You wonderful and
Untiring host,
Of a million Hopes,
And a zillion expressions!

*********************************
Thank you Voicesnet and its wonderful crew, for a great job done! This is my 300'th poem , deep felt thanks are due to my friends and other folks for your constant encouragement and continued support!

AUGUST Chrysanthemums by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/8/2009

August Chrysanthemums,
Bloom,
Spread their unique charm,
No great fragrance,
No rose or great beauty,
Only simple charm.
No wonder,
They are the favorite flowers,
Of the supreme Goddess,
Like her simple devotees!

KEEP AWAY FROM MIDDLEMEN ! by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/7/2009

“ You have to work out your own salvation”

Lord Buddha

“ In the whole world , there is nothing which cannot be called my own. All the riches are mine !
I have nothing to gain from work! Still I work incessantly , otherwise the whole world will come to ruins, Oh Arjun !" Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita

“ Arise ! awake! cease not till the goal is reached ; It is hard to walk on a razor’s edge; likewise the path of salvation is very hard to tread on”

Kado-Upanshid- Ancient Indian scripture

Work and more work!
Incessant work,
Like the sun-
The ever shining one,
Who ceases to shine,
Only for the ignorant one!

That is the root,
And the secret,
Of all fine art,
And meaning full living-
Elevated to a fine art.

When sweat drops-
Adorn and glisten-
In the sun!
On your rock hard-
Weather beaten,
Work carved,
Sinewy body temple,
Wind’s ardent whispers-
Its cool –fragrant lips:
It is the kiss of bliss,
Riches sent down –
By the all merciful -
And the all knowing one !

Shun middle -men
Who are out for gain,
In the path to salvation,
Masquerading as holy men,
In fact –totally hollow men,
“These false prophets-
They will reach heaven,
Much later than prostitutes,
And petty traders-
Haggling for barter and gain”
Thus spoke Lord Jesus,
Compassion and heavenly wisdom-
Rolled in to one –
Great love- incarnation !

Avoid middle-men,
False prophets of doom-
And seekers of selfish-gain,
In the path to salvation,
They carry books on their heads,
And never the light of knowledge.

Incessant work is the key,
To the path of salvation;
To freedom –
And what lies beyond it!
“Arise, awake and cease not,
Till the goal is reached ! “

**** Dedicated to the holy feet of the Goddess of wisdom and Grace infinite ! *****

FUN FILLED SUNDAY MORNING! by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/6/2009

A fun filled Sunday morning-
Mirth, frolic and fun-
All roll in to one,
The tiny lady dog*
Of my next door neighbor,
Is furiously barking-
At a distant intruder,
Not in sight yet,
Her furry skin hairs all erect,
With her not wanting an intruder-
In the fun filled morning.

Sheer pleasure to
Drive and cruise-
Through the empty streets,
No horns and angry yells-
To get a move on,
At traffic lights.

Flesh flowers-
Smile in umpteen baskets,
Take me home,
In morning freshness and glory,
Before greed raises its head,
And I stay put and wither.

Appetizing smells-
Waft in
From the kitchen,
And I settle down to-
A hearty leisurely meal,
Want no intruder-
In the fun filled-
Morning air,
Destiny and man-
Both included.
**********************
*bitch name is offensive

MAD-ANNA'S HERBAL by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/6/2009

** This lady's original name was Madonna, But fearing legal complications, as a famous pop singer exists with the same name- changed it to MAD-ANNA'S herbal Beauty clinic***

It starts with a herbal-
And it ends with a verbal,
A verbal duel,
You sink a fortune,
Hoping to look like Lindsay Lohan-
And ends up with looks of her nan,
So naturally you will turn hostile,
And end up with a verbal duel,
The shop keepers howl,
Stop this herbal once for all,
Or we will bare all,
And that would not be beautiful,
Oh ladies! not so beautiful!
*****************************
Inspired by Janet's piece : Repair work needed!

LEAD US OH SERENE LAMP ! by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/5/2010

------IN HONOR OF ALL TEACHERS OLD AND YOUNG WHO GUIDE STUDENTS FROM DARKNESS TO THE CLEAR LIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE. SEPT 5 IS CELEBRATED AS TEACHER'S DAY IN INDIA------

Hail, Oh primal flame!
Descendant of the first fire
The very first -
Mold and Melting pot
Of wisdom- Omniscient,
And transcendental -
All embracing,
Life giving,
Never changing.

The Guru's first face
I saw with God's grace
Dancing at times
On the flickering flame

His words echoed
Throughout my earnest mind
Kept me awake
Through the lonely night's
Clamor and demand
For stupor and slumber

Guides us all through
The deep and dark woods
Alien to chirpy birds
And luster of the Sun

"We will pause and rest
To begin all over
The incomplete lesson
We try to learn from life"
Its origin:
Transcendental knowledge
With the Guru as
Its sole propagator !

I SHUDDER AT THE THOUGHT by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/5/2010

I shudder at the thought
Of a visit to heaven
Because I have to
Return to earth,
Some time !

I long for a visit
To my teacher - so great
Because I never have to
Return to my corner:
A blind and treacherous corner
Without an idea;
A clue as to -
Which way I am going !

OBEISANCE ! Oh GURU! by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/5/2009

*******Today (SEPT 05 ) is celebrated as the teacher's day all over India . The students offer worship to Guru's feet, offer flowers and gifts and express their gratitude to their great role in their lives. This also coincides with the Birth anniversary our late Philosopher President Dr.S. Radahakrishnan. This poem also is dedicated to two great teachers from the voicesnet family : Hema Ravi and Elizabeth Olsen. Have a great teacher's day! *******

Hail Oh Guru!
Godsend and great being,
The one who opens-
The inner eye-
To knowledge beyond words
And thoughts.

Goldsmiths blacksmiths-
Shape and fashion,
Iron and gold,
Through the ritual of fire.
Guru shapes the destiny
Of child and man-
Through the cool touch
Of his benevolent presence!

The bond of the Guru-
And the disciple,
Time tested -
And eternal,
Springs from the heart,
And not from the cling-
Of the coins,
As money changes hands!

No barter,
No trade-offs,
Behind every lovable-
Great Character ,
There is an invisible guru,
Not far behind!

Obeisance ! Oh Holy pair-
Of feet,
Thou are the burden -
Bearing feet ,
For now and evermore!

SWEET NOTHINGS by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/4/2009

Sweet nothings,
Mere sentimental outbursts;
Devoid of style,
Or substance!
Never wins laurels-
From the men of letters!

For me, a rustic,
Among the suave-
City dwellers,
They define my love-
And my life.

Whispered in the quiet hours,
When love finds its melody,
Behind closed doors,
Passion's slimy coils-
And ungainly slough,
Have been cast aside-
To disintegrate
And fly like dry leaves,
With the intruding winds.
One existence,
Fills another-
With Bliss and solace.

Scholar frowns!
Mere sentimental stuff- this ,
Stuff and nonsense!
Me and my beloved smile,
We unwind ourselves,
Reluctantly from -
The coils of love,
To face another day,
With a smile -
And song in the heart!

THE LAST ABORIGINAL ! by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/30/2009

The last aboriginal,
Threw away his boomerang,
In disgust!
No more tearful cries-
And dreadful screams,
As metal sinks its hooks-
Into flesh-quivering,
In the pain of torment.

“ I will prey on only my dark deeds,
And the vile hunter,
Snuggling inside me-
In a demon corner!
Hound him out,
And will hang him-
On the nearest Oak tree.”

Only the fragrance of tender thought,
Will strike all in my eye sight,
Like the cupid’s arrow,
But quite unlike it,
Will return like a boomerang,
Soaked in nectar drops,
Love’s precious drops;
And never the drops-
Of life blood.

The first aboriginal poet is born,
Never to be forgotten again,
Tennyson and Walt Whitman,
Emily Dickinson,
All his incarnations,
Wielding their mighty pens!

FEED THE BIRD AND THE HERD ! by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/3/2010

Feed the bird
With grain
See that they do not hoard
Learn from their noble deed

Feed the herd
And see how they stay
As one whole-knit herd
No room for hatred
Learn from their noble deed

Look at the butterfly
Is not She a fairy?
A glorious fairy
From another world
Feeds only on nectar
And never hurt their lover:
Smiling from a beautiful flower bed
Learn from their noble deed

OH Man!
It is often said
That you form the fountain head
Of all values good and old
Why you cannot match these creatures?
And match their deed
Word for word !

I SEE HIS FOOT PRINTS by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/3/2009

I see his foot prints,
On all the beaches,
Ever green Kerala beaches,
Sunlit and wave kissed,
Coconut palms whispering-
Sweet nothings,
To each other-
And the sad waves.

" The king has left-
With a heavy heart,
And heavier steps,
His subjects:
More precious to him-
Than his own sons,
Are left behind.
His wisdom and justice-
Now only remain,
In the lore of folktales"

Wisdom wept,
Truth sighed,
Equality and fraternity,
Embraced each other-
And cried bitterly,
"We have to stay behind-
And look for a new abode-
Also for a new King"

Long live the King-
And his great legacy!
Hail Mahabali!
The great devotee of God!

***************************************
This poem is a sequel to my earlier poem" DELIGHT IN THE AIR- THE ONAM FESTIVAL". The King has returned to his abode as the ruler of the netherworld, after paying his annual visit to his subjects, as the legend goes. The ONAM festival comes to an end tomorrow-4-9-09 , Friday, as per the HINDU calendar. Thanks for your patience!

LIGHT SHALL LIVE FOR EVER ! by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/28/2009

Light shall live for ever,
Darkness is born to guide-
Wars and plagues,
To take a brief reign;
Till shafts and swords,
Made of light ,
Hunt it down,
And light shall live for ever-
Forever again!

Chariot of fire,
Body of light,
Devotee's delight,
As the victory procession-
Is in sight!

Hail Durga!
Goddess of light,
Giver of light,
Reveals our true nature-
As made of light!

As the band plays-
Marching tunes,
I know that eternal life-
Is another name for-
Eternal light!

GOOD MORNING DAISY ! by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/28/2009

Good morning Daisy!
Good morning Rosy!
Good morning Glory!
Good morning Jasmine!
Good morning beautiful ladies!

Admire the poets:
Who named the ladies-
After flowers!
Tender to the touch,
Tender within,
Honey filled ;
Mother of all tender thoughts!

All smiles,
Even at war,
And after the earthquakes,
After childbirths,
In fathomless agony,
In limitless ecstasy.

Flowers and mothers:
Tender ladies-
Who hold glories of the spring,
And greatness of the future greats:
Men of letters,
Men of fine- arts,
Maestros of the seven-notes,
All within their-
Tender and soft wombs!

Admire the poets:
Who named the Ladies-
After flowers!

THE ENCHANTED MOMENT ! by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/27/2009

The enchanted moment,
It fell from the sky,
Like a shooting star,
Leaving a trail of light;
Invisible dust,
To bury its face-
In the folds of night.

This very moment,
I am touching heart strings-
Of my brothers and sisters,
Lazing around on a Sunday morn,
Or about to enjoy-
An afternoon siesta,
You will all feel it.
See it even in bright daylight.
Hear its melody above the din and bustle
Of traffic and city life.

What divine fragrance wafting!
A zillion flowers smiling.
All aglow,
Is the inner man-
With the shower of a sudden rain-
In an arid desert,
Watching it blooming,
As if a spell is cast-
By a lovely fairy!

The cosmic Goddess smiles:
Everything is fine,
On heaven and earth,
It is nice to be born-
A human,
So we can aspire to be divine!

THE ISLAND OF DIAMONDS ! by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/26/2009

*** The island of diamonds ( called Manipura in Sanskrit ) is the abode of Goddess Durga. Here is a weak attempt to portray its grandeur. In india, people are currently celebrating the Navarthri Festival honoring Goddess Durga - the mighty Hindu Goddess - which is going to reach its pinnacle in a few days from now! *****

The island of diamonds :
Diamonds more common than -
Sand and stones.
Palaces and mansions,
Dot the landscape.

Star - studded huge arches,
Enormous pillars ,
Giant columns engraved with precious stones:
Rubies, sapphires, emeralds ,
Majestic courtyards,
And eaves gilded with gold.

Green faced soft palms,
Bearing golden fruits,
Divine coconuts-
The color of the rising sun,
Sway gently in the wind.
Palms girdle the island,
The envy of many a God.

Waves of joy-
Lash the golden sands,
Sprays and bubbles never sigh,
As they leave the shores,
And go through the rituals.

Decked up like the queen-
Of all queens,
Is the cosmic Goddess ,
Petite , lotus eyed,
On her ornate peacock throne,
All limbs and arms-
Ooze enchantment.

Her bell like voice,
Can shame the dulcet notes,
Of her magical Veena *
A trillion sun’s effulgence,
Countless moon’s cool light.

All the cosmic Gods,
Offer obeisance to her-
She in her pristine glory,
Encircled by a bevy of beauties,
Maids of joy,
As they go through their chores,
With joy filled giggles.

Non- stop music is in the air,
So is the jingle,
Of dancing anklets,
Worn by petite-
Beautiful feet.

Peace is not a prisoner here,
But the poet in residence,
Blessing s pour through-
Her kind glances ;
Emanations of her lotus eyes,
And huddle together –
At her lotus feet,
Like lover bees-
On honey suckles.
***************************
* A string instrument used by Indian musicians

COMPASSION MAKES THE MAN by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/23/2009

Compassion makes the man-
In pursuit of the divine.
All heart felt wishes-
For the grief- torn,
Misery's playthings,
Destiny's orphans;
Never go in vain.

In the dead of night,
When you hear the foot fall-
Of the ant,
Misery's cry is never heard,
By sleeping men,
Drinking men,
Lecherous men.

Those meager men-
Who live from meal-
To meal,
Has only elbows-
As pillows ,
Listen and pay heed,
To misery's midnight call.

As they pack,
Their torn -sheet
And get to work,
Even though sun is not yet-
Up and shining,
They make men:
The salt of earth,
Compassion's true mirror-
And its angel faces!

GRACE FLOWERS by Drsudarsan Damodar Prasad

9/21/2009

Grace flowers,
Magnificent flowers,
Holding nectar drops,
Ripening in the sun,
Magnificent Lotuses,
Eye catching and breath taking.
Ornament of the king's garden,
Pride of place-
In his magnificent court ponds.

None sees-
The mud and mire,
Which nurture,
The delicate fragrance:
It has has no kinship ,
With the laws of nature.

Grace flowers,
All smiles,
Gives us hopes,
Of a divine ascent-
To the gardens up and above,
Laws of nature silent-
In mute wonder!