Flood of memories

Fire awaits eagerly for air

but air never invites fire.

Air's is a universal language

and a touch of nectar is felt all along it weaves



It converses uniformly with huts, palaces,

beggars and bare bodies too

in the same tone and fashion,

It sweeps the dry leaves,

withered flowers

in a heap

and carries with delight the flood of memories on head.



Copper mixes fairly with gold - metals only,

but with gold iron does not though two are metals



Do you sail with me- we two are humans

Don't you come with me- though both of us are humans only,



If a person means just five fingers two eyes and two legs

One Sambaiah- one potter Bucheedu

one washerman Cheraalu one Kankaiah

one barber Sayilu- one human stream

Any habitat means in entirety one unit

Though we call them all differently

The air surrounding us

covers the entire village in an embrace

and teaches a mingling language

and breaths in smiles on one living language

When an individual breaks oprn the door,

if pushed outward it becomes a whole world

and if pulled inwards a heart.



It will not suffice if human loves himself,

if he loves others too,

like a bird he shall know all branchs of the tree

Whenever the temperature is raised or lowered

Gold does not change, stays as it is,

it opens up vistas as golden water,

golden liquid and as solid gold too

leaving us to decide what we need



Love and air when held tight in fist

if you say - they exist - they are there

if you say anything - in the negative

they for sure give a slip...

____________________________________________________

Jnapakaala Varada, Andhra Bhoomi, Aug 23, 2004

Telugu: Rama Chandramouli, Translation: R. Purushothama Rao