Poems

1. THE BREAD OF THE PEOPLE

(Bertolt Brecht)

Justice is the bread of the people

Sometimes is plentiful, sometimes it is scarce

Sometimes it tastes good, sometimes it tastes bad.

When the bread is scarce, there is hunger.

When the bread is bad, there is discontent.

Throw away the bad justice

Baked without love, kneaded without knowledge!

Justice without flavour, with a grey crust

The stale justice which comes too late!

If the bread is good and plentiful

The rest of the meal can be excused.

One cannot have plenty of everything all at once.

Nourished by the bread of justice

The work can be achieved

From which plenty comes.

As daily bread is necessary

So is daily justice.

It is even necessary several times a day.

From morning till night, at work, enjoying oneself.

At work which is an enjoyment.

In hard times and in happy times

The people requires the plentiful, wholesome

Daily bread of justice.

Since the bread of justice, then, is so important

Who, friends, shall bake it?

Who bakes the other bread?

Like the other bread

The bread of justice must be baked

By the people.

Plentiful, wholesome, daily.

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2. How to Tame a New Pair of Chappals

(A Poem by Gopal Honnalgere)

don't leave them together

don't allow them to talk to each other

they may form a trade union

don't at anytime leave them near

a wall clock, law books, a calendar, the national flag,

gandhi's portrait, or a newspaper

they may hear about

independence, satyagraha,

hodidays, working hours, minimum wages, corruption

don't take them to your temple

they may at once know you are weak

your god is false and they may bite you

don't let them near your dining table

they may ask for food

or cast their evil eyes on your dinner

first use them only for short walks

then gradually increase the distance

they should never know the amount of work they have to do

pull their tight straps loose

let them feel happiness

they are growing bigger

smear some old oil on the rough straps

let them feel they are anointed

now they are good subdued labourers

ready to work overtime

for your fat feet

[Honnalgere (1942-2003) published at least six books. They include Zen Tree and the Wild Innocents (1973), Gesture of Fleshless SOund (1975), Wad of Poems (1975), The Filth (1980), and Internodes (1986). Now mostly forgotten, he was an enigmatic figure who corresponded with some of the majot poets of the time. (from 60 Indian Poets, ed. Jeet Thayil, 2008)]

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3. One-eyed (A Poem by Meena Kandasamy)

the pot sees just another noisy child

the glass sees an eager and clumsy hand

the water sees a parched throat slaking thirst

but the teacher sees a girl breaking the rule

the doctors sees a medical emergency

the school sees a potential embarrassment

the press sees a headline and a photofeature

dhanam sees a world torn in half.

her left eye, lid open but light slapped away,

the price for a taste of that touchable water.

_____________________________________________________

4. The Three Oddest Words

When I pronounce the word Future,

the first syllable already belongs to the past.

When I pronounce the word Silence,

I destroy it.

When I pronounce the word Nothing,

I make something no non-being can hold.

By Wislawa SzymborskaTranslated by S. Baranczak & C. Cavanagh

_____________________________________________________

5. A MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE

Once upon a time

A boy and girl were

Forced to leave their home

By armed robbers.

The boy was Independence

The girl was Freedom.

While fighting back, they got married.

After the big war they went back home.

Everybody prepared for the wedding.

Drinks and food abounded,

Even the disabled felt able.

The whole village gathered waiting,

Freedom and Independence

Were more popular than Jesus.

Independence came

But Freedom was not there.

An old woman saw Freedom’s shadow passing

Through the crowd, leaving by the gate.

All the same, they celebrated Independence.

Independence is now a senior bachelor.

Some people still talk about him,

Others take no notice.

A lot still say it was a fake marriage.

You can’t be a husband without a wife.

Fruitless and barren, Independence staggers to old age.

Leaving her shadow behind,

Freedom has never returned.

6. I ’M nobody! Who are you
By Emily Dickinson

I ’M nobody! Who are you?

Are you nobody, too?

Then there ’s a pair of us—don’t tell!

They ’d banish us, you know.

How dreary to be somebody!

How public, like a frog

To tell your name the livelong day

To an admiring bog!

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7. Oh Jerusalem, the city of sorrow

Oh Jerusalem, the city of sorrow

A big tear wandering in the eye

Who will halt the aggression

On you, the pearl of religions?

Who will wash your bloody walls?

Who will safeguard the Bible?

Who will rescue the Quran?

Who will save Christ, From those who have killed Christ?

Who will save man?

(Nizar Qabbani: “Jerusalem! My Love,My Town:)

8. Mohandas Karamchand (Click to read the poem)

9. सदियों पुराना
तुम्हारे भीतर है
सदियों पुराना
एक खूसट बूढ़ा
जो लाठियां ठकठकाते
अभी भी अपनी मुंछों को
तेल पिलाते रहता है
आखिर तुम कैसे
उसकी झुर्रियों के जाल से
बाहर आ पाओगी

तुम्हारे भीतर है
हमारी छटपटाती
भूखी इच्छाएं
खूनी वासनाएं

इन सबके बीच
आखिर कब तक
रह पाओगी
तुम वह मीठा झरना
जिसमें तैरती हैं
मछलियां
किनारे पर जिसके
पड़ी होती हैं सीपियां

तुम्हारे भीतर है
सदियों पुराना
एक खूसट बूढ़ा
जो लाठियां ठकठकाते
अभी भी अपनी मुंछों को
तेल पिलाते रहता है
आखिर तुम कैसे
उसकी झुर्रियों के जाल से
बाहर आ पाओगी

तुम्हें बंद करने होंगे
वे सारे दरवाजे
जो खोल रखे हैं
उस खूसट बूढ़े ने
आखिर कोई कैसे
सदियों तक अपनी जमीन
बंधक रहने दे सकता है

10. केदार नाथ सिंह की कविता- विद्रोह

आज घर में घुसा
तो वहां अजब दृश्य था
सुनिये- मेरे बिस्तर ने कहा-
यह रहा मेरा इस्तीफ़ा
मैं अपने कपास के भीतर
वापस जाना चाहता हूं

उधर कुर्सी और मेज़ का
एक संयुक्त मोर्चा था
दोनों तड़पकर बोले-
जी- अब बहुत हो चुका
आपको सहते-सहते
हमें बेतरह याद आ रहे हैं
हमारे पेड़
और उनके भीतर का वह
ज़िंदा द्रव
जिसकी हत्या कर दी है
आपने

उधर आलमारी में बंद
किताबें चिल्ला रही थीं
खोल दो-हमें खोल दो
हम जाना चाहती हैं अपने
बांस के जंगल
और मिलना चाहती हैं
अपने बिच्छुओं के डंक
और सांपों के चुंबन से

पर सबसे अधिक नाराज़ थी
वह शॉल
जिसे अभी कुछ दिन पहले कुल्लू से ख़रीद लाया था
बोली- साहब!
आप तो बड़े साहब निकले
मेरा दुम्बा भेड़ा मुझे कब से
पुकार रहा है
और आप हैं कि अपनी देह
की क़ैद में
लपेटे हुए हैं मुझे

उधर टी.वी. और फोन का
बुरा हाल था
ज़ोर-ज़ोर से कुछ कह रहे थे
वे
पर उनकी भाषा
मेरी समझ से परे थी
-कि तभी
नल से टपकता पानी तड़पा-
अब तो हद हो गई साहब!
अगर सुन सकें तो सुन
लीजिए
इन बूंदों की आवाज़-
कि अब हम
यानी आपके सारे के सारे
क़ैदी
आदमी की जेल से
मुक्त होना चाहते हैं

अब जा कहां रहे हैं-
मेरा दरवाज़ा कड़का
जब मैं बाहर निकल रहा था.

(तहलका हिन्दी के संस्कृति विशेषांक अंक मे प्रकाशित। कविता संग्रह ‘सृष्टि पर पहरा’ राजकमल प्रकाशन से शीघ्र प्रकाश्य)

Bidesia Rang के सौजन्य से

11. पहला मारने से पहले
अंतिम इच्छा जरूर पूछता है
क्योंकि वह
एक संविधान से बंधा है
दूसरा
पहले जात पूछता है
धर्म पूछता है
फिर मारता है
क्योंकि वह
एक महान संस्कृति का अनुयायी है
तीसरा
कुछ भी नहीं पूछता
बस मार डालता है
क्योंकि वह
जाति, धर्म, संविधान कुछ भी नहीं मानता
और जब हम
इन तीनों के हमले का प्रतिकार करते हैं
राष्ट्र की आंतरिक सुरक्षा के लिए
खतरा बन जाते हैं

12. Clothes:कपड़े

तुम लाए कपड़े
और सब नंगे हो गए
तुमने कहा
पहन कर इसे हम सभी
सभ्य सुसंस्कृत हो जाएंगे
सब बर्बर हो गए
फिर तुमने कहा
अच्छा ऐसे नहीं ऐसे पहनो
इतना नहीं इतना पहनो
ऐसा पहनो वैसा पहनो
पर हमारे हिसाब से पहनो
जिसे आसानी से उतारा जा सके
चाहे घर हो संसद हो या हो सड़क
कपड़े से तुम कितना खेलते हो
बंद कमरे में नंगा होओगे खुद
और स्त्री को कर दोगे नंगा
कहोगे यह नंगापन नहीं प्रेम है
फिर तुम्हीं मर्यादा संस्कृति की रक्षा में
किसी स्त्री को कर दोगे खाप में नंगा
कहोगे उसका परिवार था ही इस लायक
तुमने यह भी कहा
कपड़े से कुछ नहीं छुपता
इंसान विचारों से होता है नंगा

इस तरह तुम
सामंती लैंगिक क्रूरता से
छुपाते रहे नंगापन
औद्योगिक घरानों की सांठगांठ से
जो मेहनत की रक्त में
कपड़े बुन रहे थे
तुम करते हो भेद कपड़े से
कौन कितना कमाता है
किसकी हैसियत कितनी है
वह विकसित है कि अविकसित है
कपड़े में लिपटा व्यक्ति इंसान नहीं
अमीर है या गरीब है
वह नर है कि मादा है
उसकी जाति क्या है
उसका धर्म क्या है
कौन करेगा यह कनफेशन
कि जब तक तुम्हारे कपड़े नहीं आए थे
कोई नंगा नहीं था

~ vikas rai (not sure) from FB page Artist Against All Odd (AAAO)

13. Bonsai Tree

A Work of Artifice

The bonsai tree
in the attractive pot
could have grown eighty feet tall
on the side of a mountain
till split by lightning.

But a gardener
carefully pruned it.
It is nine inches high.

Every day as he
whittles back the branches
the gardener croons,
‘It is your nature
to be small and cozy,
domestic and weak;
how lucky, little tree,
to have a pot to grow in’.

With living creatures
one must begin very early
to dwarf their growth:
the bound feet,
the crippled brain,
the hair in curlers,
the hands you
love to touch.

Marge Piercy

14. Brother like Raavan
मुझे रावण जैसा भाई चाहिए !

गर्भवती माँ ने बेटी से पूछा
क्या चाहिए तुझे? बहन या भाई
बेटी बोली भाई
माँ - किसके जैसा? बेटी ने गर्व से
रावण सा, माँ ने जवाब दिया
क्या बकती है? पिता ने धमकाया

'माँ ने घूरा, गाली देती है

बेटी बोली, क्यूँ माँ?
बहन के अपमान पर राज्य
वंश और प्राण लुटा देने वाला
शत्रु स्त्री को हरने के बाद भी
स्पर्श न करने वाला
रावण जैसा भाई ही तो
हर लड़की को चाहिए आज
छाया जैसी साथ निभाने वाली
गर्भवती निर्दोष पत्नी को त्यागने वाले
मर्यादा पुरषोत्तम सा भाई
लेकर क्या करुँगी मैं?

और माँ
अग्नि परीक्षा चौदह बरस वनवास और
अपहरण से लांछित बहु की क़तर आहें
तुम कब तक सुनोगी और
कब तक राम को ही जन्मोगी

माँ सिसक रही थी - पिता आवाक था

.....

Shintsie Kumar

Javed Akhtar reciting a few of his poems:

15) Naya Hukmanama - New Ordinance

16) Yeh Khel Kya Hai! (A poem on the game of Chess)

17. Saba Naqvi performs 'Meri Saree'

18. Unerase Poetry: Mere Kavi Dost

19. The Patriot - Nissim Ezekiel

I am standing for peace and non-violence.
Why world is fighting fighting
Why all people of world
Are not following Mahatma Gandhi,
I am simply not understanding.
Ancient Indian Wisdom is 100% correct,
I should say even 200% correct,
But modern generation is neglecting -
Too much going for fashion and foreign thing.
Other day I'm reading newspaper
(Every day I'm reading Times of India
To improve my English Language)
How one goonda fellow
Threw stone at Indirabehn.
Must be student unrest fellow, I am thinking.
Friends, Romans, Countrymen, I am saying (to myself)
Lend me the ears.
Everything is coming -
Regeneration, Remuneration, Contraception.
Be patiently, brothers and sisters.
You want one glass lassi?
Very good for digestion.
With little salt, lovely drink,
Better than wine;
Not that I am ever tasting the wine.
I'm the total teetotaller, completely total,
But I say
Wine is for the drunkards only.
What you think of prospects of world peace?
Pakistan behaving like this,
China behaving like that,
It is making me really sad, I am telling you.
Really, most harassing me.
All men are brothers, no?
In India also
Gujaratis, Maharashtrians, Hindiwallahs
All brothers -
Though some are having funny habits.
Still, you tolerate me,
I tolerate you,
One day Ram Rajya is surely coming.
You are going?
But you will visit again
Any time, any day,
I am not believing in ceremony
Always I am enjoying your company

20. Gujarati Poems by Harshdev Madhv

Ek evu ATM hoi - TV Serial jevi chahat nu geet

21. Gujarati Poems by Harshdev Madhv

(ii) Vasant - Computer ni bhasha ma / Cyber Cafe ma prem prangare

22. Poonjivaad - Capitalism - by Prachi

Click here to watch the recitation of the poem

23. Banaras Diary - 17 - Harish Minashru

Kashi ma aa haath chhe ke bhadbhadati mashal - magahar

24. Shab-vahini Ganga - Parul Khakhkhar

Click here to read & listen the poem & its various translations

If this link is not functional, click here to read archived page.

Click here to listen Punjabi recitation of the Gujarati poem.

25. Khalasi - Saumya Joshi

Click here to read the lyrics of this song

26. Partition - W. H. Auden

Click here to read the poem and watch short film based on it

27. Musée des Beaux Arts (Museums of Fine Arts) - W.H. Auden

Click here to read the interactive poem

28. Operation Equality - Nirav Patel

Click here to read the Gujarati Poem 'Operation Equality'

29. Ram | some unseen aspects of lord Rama! | Abhi Munde | Psycho Shayar

Click here to watch the performance and recitation

Short Video Lectures on

Dryden's Essay Of Dramatick Poesie,

Quiz and Tasks to 'Think and Write'

1) Short Video Lecture on Dryden as Father of English Criticism, Neo-Classical Critic and definition of Play:

2) Short Video Lecture on Dryden as Critic & Title of the Essay:

3) SVL on Dryden's Definition of Play:

4) SVL on the comparative criticism of the Ancients, the Moderns and the French Playwrights:

5) SVL on the debate regarding appropriateness of rhyme and blank verse:

6) SVL on the controversy regarding the Rhymes lines vs the Blank Verse:

Presentations:

1) Sir Philip Sidney's An Apology for Poetrie:

Sir Philip Sidney's Defence of Poesie from Dilip Barad

After viewing these videos and presentation, check your understanding about Dryden's Essay.

Click here to appear in the Online Quiz.

Quiz: Dryden's Essay and Sidney's Apology

Tasks:

Please give your response as a COMMENT below this post:

1) Do you any difference between Aristotle's definition of Tragedy and Dryden's definition of Play?
2) If you are supposed to give your personal predilection, would you be on the side of the Ancient or the Modern? Please give reasons.
3) Do you think that the arguments presented in favour of the French plays and against English plays are appropriate? (Say for example, Death should not be performed as it is neither 'just' not 'liely' image, displaying duel fight with blunted swords, thousands of soldiers marching represented as five on stage, mingling of mirth and serious, multiple plots etc.)
4) What would be your preference so far as poetic or prosaic dialogues are concerned in the play?

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Wednesday 23 September 2015

Just Poems