Desur Selvaratnam

Sri Desur Selvaratnam is a wonderful Nadaswaram Vidwan.

Gadi Padyam from K Siva Reddy’s Gatha

The Room Poem

This room remaining silent is a poem

Garimella on the wall, behind the window panes

heads of the swaying flower plants

Curtain hanging just free

Spring door standing with folded hands

Clock running lamely

Ventilator glasses hanging slant

Ceiling fan running with two minds whether or not to

Empty chair, water bottle

National flag hanging on a small stand

Old calendar that forgot time

                                Two bureaus like pregnant women

A towel next to the sink, a soap cake

Burning electric lamp long

                                What else would be there in a room

                                In spite of all this in the room

                                                                There has to be a person

With a person the room turns into a live river

Otherwise

It would be a dead coffee cup

A Painting

I liked this work of art. Hope you too like it!

Whoever! - A Poem by Asharaju

At midnight

Some song is heard

Somehow on the heart

The weight of the sound of footsteps is felt

I get up and sit

A light cloth flying across the face

Disappears with a soft touch

I open the door and see

Beyond four houses the song ceases

I open the gate and search

Slipping to the other side of the colony,

It hazily goes afar

I come onto the road and look

The crooning from among the bushes in the park

Caresses like whispering.

Returning into the house

I look back

At the street corner

A sound of laughter is heard

I switch the light in the front yard and see

Under the lamp post at the end of the street

Except for the street dog

None is seen

Unable to sleep

Contemplating, I shut my eyes

Who could it be?

The dear one that I left and came!

The friend that deserted me and gone!

I hurry through my books searching

The first poem that I wrote is not found

The love letter hidden is not seen

The song goes on ringing

It keeps quizzing me everyday

- Asharaju

Asharaju is a contemporary poet.

I like his works a lot.

Not because he is friend, but because he is a great poet.

You almost feel you should have written this poem!!

Translation is, of course mine.