Hi Jane Yes I remember this poem. I can almost quote it. I wish to share my own mother poem with you all and am open to suggesions.
MOTHER You Would garland the local stone linga With white flowers of the hanslatha Break bangles in the process With a swish of your hips and a tune Of saigal's at your feet You had such pretty anklets, mother It seems (grandma tells me) When I was three weeks you Wanted to scare the blackings out Of my skin with bleaching soda, steam, And gin but thanks to the Black Kali our Present goddess and goddess of our ancestors, Lord Muruga got into your blood stream Instantaneously, you climbed a tree, Made me sip toddy Would often be whipped with borrowed Belts of uncles for bowling pillows Through neighbours' windows, stealing Burfies, uprooting sapota trees, conking Lorries; you taught me everything except Colours, and the silver-grey waterfall Curtaining my left and right were marbles; Guessing was an ever thrilling game Mother; Of course we had our own phobias To me all ropes were snakes, And to you all men creatures on legs With steel buckles for fingers, But Panchali our cat was somehow Different. Sivakami Ramanathan Youth Times August 4.11.1978 --- In [email protected], jane bhandari <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > really, this has turned into a wonderful collection of parents. i am going to be greedy and post my mother poem too. This one was published in the little magazine. > thanks ronnie for reminding me that i still have one parent. > i haven't seen the poem by george barker, would you be a dear and post it for us to read. and thanks for the compliment. > i liked your poem too, it is just like mothers all over. in one breath the state of your body, in the next, the sad condition of the home. > > apologies, the shift key is still stuck. > i am pretending to be ee cummings till the mechanic comes. > > jane > > LIKE MOTHER > She said, Do you ever > Look in the mirror > And see your mum? > And I thought, No. Not me. > Later, looking at myself > In the bright candour > Of the bathroom light, > I wasn't so sure. > > As my face and body > Sag and spread > Through middle age > I begin to look like her. > Some things I say > Echo her. > After all, she's my mum, > And I am her daughter, > A substantial chip > Off the old block. > > > > ronnie banerjee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > thanks vidyanjali, temp. Vidyanjali, i shall certainly give u a feedback on your poems. > > The mother of all Father poems was "Do not go gentle into that good night" and the mother of all mother poems was i forget the title but it was by George Barker (Jane's portrait of her father is similar to that of George Barker's mother and that is a huge comparison). > Here's a mother poem for all of you- > > Cold Water > > "The doctors have diagnosed it as 'angina' " > mother informed me, > I stared at her, and nodded: > I had just returned from the office > and there had been a half-an-hour long > traffic jam on the way. > In order to exhibit my sympathy though > I did pause for some compassionate moments > before I switched the television on. > > "It is some serious heart ailment" > she continued - > like the BBC correspondent > breaking news of some devastating > air crash off the forlorn end of Hebrides > "...and the geyser's not working" > she said and I started; > we were facing a severe winter in Delhi. > "Don't worry" she comforted me > "It shall be repaired soon" > > I wonder now > whether mother's death > shall be > worse than the cold water > in a freezing winter morning > due to an unrepaired geyser. > > Ron (23-02-1998) > > > temporal t <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > thanks for sharing this > > On 11/15/05, J. K. Mohana Rao <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: This is something I wrote nearly ten years ago > for Father's Day. The "father" poems brought back > to my mind this one and I am sharing the same > with you all. As usual, comments are welcome! > > Regards! - J K Mohana Rao > > ---------------------------------- > > When I was a child > everything seemed to me big > the trees appeared gigantic > the house looked huge > I had to run on my small feet > behind those adults' bigfootsteps > > Then-- > in my child's world of monsters and angels > my father > you were the biggest and the strongest man > my father > you were also my saviour from fears and tears > > In time > I grew up and you became older > of course > that day is still etched in my memory > I was in my lab > and a wire arrived > Father > you left me > without even saying > good-bye! > > What remains today is a sea of memories > what remains today is a sea of sadness > our little verbal duels > our hair-splitting arguments > our differences-- > they are the waves on the surface > but as I dive deep below > the water is serene > there are no waves > and there are no winds > I still see the worry on your face > when I was in difficulties > I still hear your resonant prayers > as I awake from my delirium > > And > those sweet and sad stories > of your childhood > I love them > > You used to be not only firm, > but also kind -- like God! > > Today > my children mock at me and ignore me > when I entreat them not to waste water or money > just as I used to laugh at you and ignore you > when you asked me not to waste water or money > > My dear father > I miss you still > My dear father > I think of you still > My dear father > I love you still > more so, now, > than when we were together! > > > > > > > __________________________________ > Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 > http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > -- > You are encouraged to post poetry, respond critically to the poems circulated and participate in discussions. To post, email your message to [email protected] OR post online at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/post/ > > Tell friends to subscribe to ZESTPoets by sending a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED], OR, if they have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/join/ > > > > ---theZESTcommunity-------------- > > [1] ZESTCurrent: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCurrent/ > [2] ZESTEconomics: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTEconomics/ > [3] ZESTGlobal: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTGlobal/ > [4] ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/ > [5] ZESTPoets: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/ > [6] ZESTCaste: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ > [7] ZESTAlternative: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTAlternative/ > [8] TalkZEST: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TalkZEST/ > --- > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Enjoy this Diwali with Y! India Click here > > -- > You are encouraged to post poetry, respond critically to the poems circulated and participate in discussions. To post, email your message to [email protected] OR post online at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/post/ > > Tell friends to subscribe to ZESTPoets by sending a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED], OR, if they have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/join/ > > > > ---theZESTcommunity-------------- > > [1] ZESTCurrent: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCurrent/ > [2] ZESTEconomics: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTEconomics/ > [3] ZESTGlobal: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTGlobal/ > [4] ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/ > [5] ZESTPoets: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/ > [6] ZESTCaste: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ > [7] ZESTAlternative: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTAlternative/ > [8] TalkZEST: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TalkZEST/ > --- > > > > SPONSORED LINKS > Writing book Writing poetry Business writing book Book writing software Writing child book Writing and publishing a book > > --------------------------------- > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > > > Visit your group "ZESTPoets" on the web. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. > > > --------------------------------- > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Yahoo! Model Search - Could you be the next catwalk superstar? Check out the competition now > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/yqIolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -- You are encouraged to post poetry, respond critically to the poems circulated and participate in discussions. To post, email your message to [email protected] OR post online at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/post/ Tell friends to subscribe to ZESTPoets by sending a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED], OR, if they have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/join/ ---theZESTcommunity-------------- [1] ZESTCurrent: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCurrent/ [2] ZESTEconomics: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTEconomics/ [3] ZESTGlobal: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTGlobal/ [4] ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/ [5] ZESTPoets: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/ [6] ZESTCaste: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ [7] ZESTAlternative: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTAlternative/ [8] TalkZEST: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TalkZEST/ --- Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
