Raju Guide - Asha Raju

There are poems and there are poems that make you think,

because they have depth.
There are poets and there are good poets.

Asha Raju is an exceptionally good poet among the contemporary Telugu poets.

His poems strike a blow in your face.

His poems caress you like as if you are a baby.

I like his poetry not because he is a friend.

I like it because I like subtility.

In 2008 Jhari Poetry Circle brought out a small book of his poems.

The title is "Raju Guide"

There are only seven poems, all titled Raju Guide with a subtitile in parenthesis.
I know Asha Raju likes good films and good music too.
He tells in the opening pages of the book that he has written these seven poems under the influence of Urdu Mushairas.

The last poem "Raju Guide (Pakka Hyderabadi)" is the hearts cry of all true Hyderabadis.
This is only one page from the seven page long poem for you!

It looks, Poetry these days, is not read by many people.
Even earlier, there was a feeling that only poets read poetry.
Somebody wrote me recently that only bloggers read blogs.
Neither of the ideas appear right to me.
Read the following lines!
You will feel the strength in them!!
I feel that the other poems in the book are equally forceful.
Here is another for example.

రాజూ గైడ్ (స్వాప్నికుడు)

కలా గంటీ

కలా గంటీ

అయ్యో

ఓయ్ వేమనా

కళ్లమీద

గాజుబొమ్మ

అయ్యో

ఓయ్ వేమనా

భళ్లుమనీ

కిందపడే

అయ్యో

ఓయ్ వేమనా

కిందబడ్డ

ముక్కలన్నీ

అయ్యో

ఓయ్ వేమనా

 

చేపలయ్యి

కొట్టుకునే

అయ్యో

ఓయ్ వేమనా

 
Thus goes the poem!
It goes much further!
Wah! Kya baat Hai?
Yar abki baar miloge na!
P T Paan zuroor khilaoonga!
 
That is our common interest!
Do you know what that is?