Industrious Indeed

My first attempt at a rhyming poem (way back in 1982) - once while idling in a corner and staring into nowhere - some ants caught my attention - these ants were the inspiration behind this .

INDUSTRIOUS INDEED

The other day I saw
Bent down on my paw
A sight so delightful
In a corner plentiful
Ants at play

My eyes chanced to fall
Upon the blue wall
Ants, two, with a worm
Feed gripped so firm
Hard at work

Moving so cautiously
Inching up slowly
Quick tiny steps take
'Cause goal they must break
Destination to reach

Drop they their prey
Many times astray
Rise again from floor
Try they must as before
Each time meliorate

Alas! the prey they lost
Ran fatigued frantic fast
The worm they dropt (as dropped)
Quite below O! the fault
Fatuitous ants they

Must help I thought
With my finger I caught
And guiding it brought
Towards the worm lying dropt
Prominent on floor

Overjoyed having prevailed
Happily they minueted
Soon they ascended anew
Along the path they knew
More mindful now
-sundari giri

Market Scene

There is this crowded market place in Mumbai - Bhuleshwar - we used to frequent this when in college, for the mere joy of bargaining - this was way back in 1983. Now, i hear from friends that the place is worse than it used to be, but who cares as long as one gets high-fashion apparels / trinkets / etcetera for a cool deal and come back home with a tidy sum saved up.

MARKET SCENE

Beside the wares
They sit themselves
Among the garbage sodden
Ground - Hailing aloud
"Maaji, Babuji
Ek ka do; Ek ka do"
In atrocious colours
And gaudily draped
All grimy head to toe
Some perspirated hands
Pawing you sorrily
"Buy my goods, memsasab"
The eyes pleadingly, say
Gutter snipes, their little ones
Sling little shigles
While others guzzle
Thrash from the ground
Skylarking among the dirt
Shouldnt they instead feed
Their brains with education
My thoughts now disturbed
Faced by a little vendor
Orbing the goods circular
The role of a jester playing
The amused buy a few
Others stand and jeer
'Tis a sad plight
They make a living
Parasites they are not

-sundari giri

Birth

This poem (if it can be called a poem) was written by me in 1983. Conceptualized during one of those long waits in a hospital.

BIRTH

A big-bellied woman
Passed the hospital gates
In a hurried state
The husband penned
Registration
Complacent and cool
Then hysterical
The pains unbearable
Every passing second
Spectacled eyes
Gloved hands
Directed her
Between all commotion
She released it
The first ray of light
It faced
And dared to live
It cried
All overjoyed
From mere cells
To a being

-sundari giri

Are women stronger than men? Yes, they are. They may not have the physical strength but they are emotionally very very strong, they are better able to cope with life's adversities. Another reason for this is their mental makeup - they talk it out or cry out - they relieve the stress by doing this ... whereas, men keep their emotions bottled-up. Women are good at multi-tasking too. They are able to manage their homes, career - children, husband, in-laws, peers, boss etc etc. If this is not enough, they venture into other activities just to keep themselves preoccupied all their waking hours. What says, all you women out there......????