Shall We Be Still

Shall We Be Still 

• Arvind Shah -

Looking out grim through the tough glass panels

from the waiting lounge of the high-tech airport,

see queues of big winged steel birds standing still

immovable like  dumb model structures.

And here comes the announcement for me:

global software system to run computers,

navigate airplanes and give you any updates

crashed into dysfunction, but the repair work is on,

we will update you as soon as we receive  inputs.

Six hours of stillness, I am  like  the still steel bird

across the wall of the tough  glass panels -

we both, the bird and me are hostage of tilted development 

stuck in useless stillness - the bird wants to fly 

and I too want, not to idle, so try my pen

to tell you -  to beckon you - to question you.

Shall we be still in tilted social development psy

crashed and cracked, losing connect and hold

to go developed into the haze of clouds and dampness #?!

© Arvind Shah 19/07/2024 IGI Airport New Delhi

One Stanza Poems

 My Weekend Poems # 14

One Stanza Poems

Nothing, To Be.

The scattered bits and pieces: collect

assemble the mess leaving the intellect

be  blessed , having all, but no ownership

in and out to become one with " Nothing"

© Arvind Shah 0524

Poetry is silence

The word to lead to say

and lay the smooth way

from sound to silence

poetry is vibrating thence.

© Arvind Shah 0524

Sober Moon 

Oh! rose, bloom in moonlight

decorate the sacred scared sober disc

for it merely keeps pulsating stars 

devoid of any fragrance.

© Arvind Shah 0724

Compassionate Moon

Oh! the Moon though you are not, today

yet! keep alive,  my inquisitive instinct

the urge on me , my hope to meet

gradually compassion comes to light.

© Arvind Shah 0724

Language of Nature

 Language of Nature

Nature, the open book: Greatest

complete in content, and the best

it has everything to teach

and preach to each

the text is simple

with examples ample -

read on every bit – everywhere

in expressions lucidly clear.

The lesson and knowledge -

is  everybody's language

a continuous  expression,  profound

but for the sensitive and concerned 

the communication, for sane

who, keep no suicidal malevolence to tame.

Assimilating nature is an ability plain:

keeping sense to sense real: joy or pain.

Language of nature is flow and vibration

common to all without any restriction:

the flow of the breeze and wind around

move of waters and greens in surround -

the cosmic moves in this existence

in living and non-living substance.

Every movement, a  linguistic system

the man, to survive, has to be within system.

©  Arvind Shah

Development to Devastation

 My Weekend Poem # 12

Development to Devastation

Man headlong into the indulgence 

working on, artificial intelligence 

market sensex graph index

finding ways to gain dominance -

thence

drugged not to see the consequence.

The Sun reaches the Earth with violence

splashes heat waves , lives to price

snow gets helpless to lose substance

the waters rush  mountains to pierce 

habitations devastate to remorse -

thence 

man installs misery is the consequence.

Breezes change to ghastly turbulence 

systematic systems fail convenience 

the eco-system gives up routine sense

spring summer autumn winter lose sequence 

even the anther and pollen grain lose romance - 

thence

man has lost rhyme with relevance.

Is man working to develop devastation # ? !

© Arvind Shah 230624

Kabir Kai Doha as I read

 On Sun, 23 Jun, 2024, 5:31 am Arvind Shah, <shah.arvindshah@gmail.com> wrote:

 'Kabir Kai Doha -as I Read" © Arvind Shah 220624

Kabir is a poet of realism therefore he speaks reality of everyone. The power of the poetry of Kabir is simple and straightforward to touch heart and head, alike. It bathes  the body and sets in vibration on the spirit to get sustainable freshening rejuvenation. Kabir uses images from every day life to make his expressions revealing.

तिनका कबहुं ना निन्दिये, जो पांवन तर होय,
कबहुं उड़ी आंखिन पड़े, तो पीर घनेरी होय।
Translation
Never ever look down upon the weak
small, insignificant a straw bit , meek
any time it gets to get into the eye
gives intense agony one can't buy. ( negotiated)
Imagery
the image used is a little flake of straw getting into the eye, the insignificant bit makes the life miserable with agony.

धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय,
माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ॠतु आए फल होय।
Translation
Oh! my mind , mind to learn patience
patience gets forth the result thence
the gardner cares the bed with patience
season sets in to bring the flowers thence.
Imagery
the image is, a flower bed and gardener is used to show the significance of patience . A gardner , with patience, nurtures a flower bet to get blooms.

कबीर हमारा कोई नहीं, हम काहू के नाहिं,
पारै पहुंचे नाव ज्यौ, मीलके बिछुरी जाह। Translation
oh! Kabir: we have none to be our own
and we have none to own, as our own
no sooner the boat gets to the bank, across
then every associate is to go and  get lost.

Imagery
There is none who is a permanent connect and support to rely upon. The image of a boat that ferries passengers accross a river. The connect of passenger and the boat over as soon as the journey is complete.

दोस पराए देखि करि, चला हसन्त हसन्त,
अपने याद न आवई, जिनका आदि न अंत।
Translation
Seeing  others in a faulty ploy
for sarcastic smiles to enjoy -
look into self to see own fault
will find end to end plenty, a lot .

Imagery
persons find faults with other to be laughed at, but it will be more laughable when one looks at own faults.

ऐसी बानी बोलिये, मन का आपा खोय,
औरन को सीतल करे आपहुं सीतल होय।
Translation
Speak such a word of virtue
selfhood vanish, and be, true
others to get warmth to cheer
and self to get warmth to bear.

Imagery 

The image of relationship between an expression of the word and  compassion

Translation and Notes © Arvind Shah 220624

Am I a refugee in my country

 Am I a refugee in my own country

******************************

I am a refugee, but called a migrant

This is my fate, being weak or decent

It may also be a reason, for I love my Nation

Don't want her to be looked at, in poor definition .

I am getting devastated , is my whole truth

In and out situations make me lose my worth .

Today the Internation Refugee day

What shall I perceive and what shall I Say?

I am a Global Kashmiri Pandit

Shall I be confused to have my own Earth's Bit.

© Arvind Shah 200624

Father's Day

Father's Day

*** *** ***
I, when born
tender - soft - mild
sole support
in
the mother's throbs
her breast nipples
and the cradle of her arms.

With ever passing day
childhood , further
further and further
on the growth
I am now to sense and
realise more and more:
the mother has the resource
to depend upon and relay on.

Oh! the father, I salute you
you made a lady - a mother
the mother to nurture me:
a suckling baby, a toddler
a playful naughty child
an adolescent and then to be.

Father ! you bear
the shrill and scotch
of all weathers to fend
and supply sprit of strength
to the mother and the family
you with mother make the progeny.

© Arvind Shah 160624 Banglore

The Nature

 My Weekend Poems # 9 

(now, for some time, I shall be posting my poems on environment )  

NATURE

*********

The perfect, planner, architect, engineer.... in oneness

puts in place, things in the absolute manner: miraculous 

artist: The colour master, greatest forever

who in creation faults, never.

The textures and patterns it can create

each in a different fashion and a design separate

the unparalleled musician and orchestrator

to give different sounds to each dweller.

Different, body and body structure to each

different modes of movements, needs to reach

what the great creative phenomenon: consistent

to make things complete and descent.

Each and every bit

at its proper place, fit:

living and non living, both

whatever is brought forth.

Plant and the animal worlds on earth

with the systems of survival in no dearth

the variety and range of life, not a few:

every life form trained to know, how to live.

The universe follows an order

that keeps regularly regular:

a cycle in continuance

for sustained existence.

This order certain and sure

the perfectly perfect order: The Nature.

© Arvind Shah 0624 Banglore 

Cheerful Camp - Sweet Home

 My Weekend Poems # 8

Cheerful Camp - Sweet Home

*****.            *****.         *****

You believe: market upbeat is freshness

and my old hold and bond is stillness -

choose to develop and grow in market fashions

and find joyful glee to see many occasions 

in dazzling rooms, for timely joys, to be cultured 

but, I love the legacy cultural hold and bond to be cultured.

I, be the stream within my own soil , sky and air

live - not to surrender my being - myself: anywhere

I will bear, maneuver and brave, not to give in

not to give up - me and my source virtues in me.

I am still a deodar, keep no little value to be 

grow - sure and slow in the rocky terrains: am a tree.

Market cuts to size to be a plank and then a panel fixture:

a timely cheerful camp, but soon  into wilderness future -

can a camp be an elated home to get progress to see -

I can camp anywhere on globe, but my home it can't be -

can one be a commercial commodity and be happy

my joy is economic well-being and bond of ancestry.

Call me obstinate and call me names full

I keep bonds and inklings that you call, still.

your vision may be oceans and outlook for a sea

I am happy and gleeful to be a stream and a tree.

©Arvind Shah 6/24 Bangalore

Ultimate Poem

My Weekend Poems # 7
Ultimate Poem

Every plant and tree
around us, we see

writes a poem direct
he literary piece perfect.

On the crust and up extension 
an ultimate creativity expression 
pure and chaste, truth to tell:
tell what the future keeps to spell.

Roots draw spirit from soil 
ink the leaf tips with toil 
leaves, by moves in atmosphere 
compose poems and tunes in air.

Ah! the man on The Earth
keeps little literary worth
he is in haste to waste
and ill treat the creation, chaste.

The arrogant has set in a spree - 
all out to cut and kill the tree
man, a stupid brute devoid of sense 
is active, future to strangulate thence. 

© Arvind Shah 101023

Tragedy of the Century

My Weekend Poems# 6

Tragedy of the Century  

When Death Lost Dignify

*********************

Sorry, I am sorry – very sorry

seek apology – beseech apology – implore apology

beg – pray: apologise, please apologise.

 

You had surrendered your holy possession

the life in your body, soul to liberate

keeping the trust in me

to have your corpse

just for a funeral.

 

You were kind and considerate

with ever welling passion for me

to lit and fuel my life -

learning from you:

dignity for dead.

                             

But sorry, I am sorry – very sorry

I tried, tried with intensity,

intense intensity, and more intensity

begging, begging and still begging

for a crematorium space to lit your pyre.

 

Refused – rebuked – scolded, without let

I had to carry you on, on and on

crematorium to crematorium

here, there – there and there

for my duty to lit your pyre.

 

Sorry, I am sorry – very sorry

for you had died of Corona:

shrouded - body bagged in plastic

and defined: untouchable for funeral

to find no place - no face – no space.

                                                     

Oh! Father you lie sealed motionless

on the Earth, shrouded facing the Sky

I, zipped in a PPT kit run hither and thither

between the Earth and the Sky

to find a space to make a pyre for you.

 

I do not lose resolve to lend you dignity

but, Ah! my body, on the run, simmers in my kit

in hot pursuit in a hot scorching summer day   

on cold still tracks, wishing to find a crematorium -

but, sorry, I am sorry for my inability to hold.

 

I shout, I cry, I wail for a pyre

I yell, I scream, I howl for water -

neither for you, my father, I find a pyre

nor do I find a mouthful of water for me

father, you go longing for fire, and I for water.

                                                     

I know my father, you are exhausted

so am I dehydrated and consumed

even sun is, now to set, to call it a day

thus, I leave my body to come to you

father, hold me close, very close, quite close.

                                                    

I was not let, give dignity to your death, Here

I promise – promise, faithfully promise

to lend you dignity There

now I am not sorry, beseech no apology

for I come to you, to escort you, to take care of you.

 

Please don’t lose trust in me, my father

today, on this father’s day - Here

I had nothing to wish and say

for, Here, the man is dead, death not to dignify

so, I accompany you, be sure, very sure- There

We will have Father’s day together to cheer.

 

Arvind Shah ©0622

(This poem was written by me on father’s day; based on the fact when two sons carrying the corpse of their father died searching a crematorium for the last rites of their father: Jammu)

 

We Still Live Together

 

My Weekend Poems #5

We still live together
**********************
Two decades and half
With my so called better half
And we still live together.

Warmth of body to share
A treat quite dear
And progeny got forth
For a feel of growth.

Though our reasons do not meet
In fashions of walk, talk, eat and treat -
Differences day and night
Not to find wrong and right…..

But to churn a bond
Of acceptance strong -
Defeating reasons, togetherness to win -
And we are together thick and thin.

A fragrance filled carnation
The freshness in the relation -
Keeps live this and next moment
By essence and not by agreement.

The breath of care
She keeps to share
Cheers the life together
For joys of living ever.

Is this love, I do not know
But freshness is ever to show.
This is a woman, family to nurture
I know, she is holding  the future.

Two decades and half
With my so called better half
And we still live together.

©Arvind shah 61014
To My Wife On The Silver Jubilee Marriage Anniversary 

Independent Impression Mother tongue and kashmiri Pandit

The resolute commitment (tapasaya) by the Batta ( kashmiri pandit) , after 1990 brunt of socio- political catastrophe inflicted on the community yielded worthy results to win that crisis situation, gracefully .

….Now the time has come that kashmiri pandit, as a community shall show the same resolute determination to keep commitment and nurture belongingness to, motherland and mother tongue – ancestry and heritage – religious inkling and spiritual commitment - cultural bond and social compassion. All this is important because life tends to become more and more burdensome as age comes up to load. When an individual, a family and a community integrates ingredients of ancestry, in making of the personality and life skills, life then is a virtue, all through. When the strength of muscle and money are losing virtues by and by, then it is only a vibrant and virtuous life skill – family support and social bond that is handier to stand by.

Every Kashmiri Pandit shall have the same resolute determination to settle in Kashmir as a shareholder of the motherland. One can work anywhere in the world but Kashmir is our home. Every Kashmiri pandit shall have the same resolute determination, not to let the mother tongue get extinct in the community.

There are different processes of language learning. One of the ways, in the structural process of language learning, is translation. Translation system of language learning is presently getting more and more prevalent because Google is strongly creeping in this area. The google translation system is working to widen its base for Google Translation System. Kashmiri language in Nastaliq script (persio-arabic script) has been incorporated in google translation system. But the same system for Kashmir devnagri script is not there in google translation system.  

When google translation system becomes efficient with artificial intelligence then the barriers between the languages will narrow and a day may come when an international language pool will do what English has been doing for so long. And Kashmiri in devnagri script shall not miss here. Having realised this objective, A Team is working to get Kashmiri Devnagri Script with in Google Translation System and  for getting Kashmiri devnargi  incorporated in google translation system.

 There are different parameters that need to be met. The main areas are: 

1 - A body of the Kashmir Devanagari shall be available online for google search engine . 

2 – The tools of translation shall be available on google search engine. 

3 – There shall be a technical team of professionals to develop a uniformity of Kashmiri devanagari script through Unicode etc.

Actions on anvil

 A. Some technical professionals are the founders of the team, they are on work.

B. Some distinguished language experts and litterateurs are the founders of the team; they are also on work.

  All authors / writers who write Kashmiri in devnagri shall put their materials online. And the  manpower working today is little to meet the need, a wide community support at all levels of social functioning will make the project a success.  

Arvind Shah,

(Independent Impression)

writer poet translator

Author: S.Chand Prabhat Dreamland 

Mother

 My Weekend Poems # 4

*Mother* 

(Today,  on Mother's Day - 12/5/24)

Mother 

no other -

whatever be the weather: heat

hail, storm, rain or sleet 

she is a shield, all to bear

with no frown, but with cheer.

The radiating virtue  vibration

a compassionate stimulation - 

always eager  to share care, is her habit

simple, cool, sober touch, never to wear out.

May I get the simple cool virtue of this soul: the 

idol of His worth

for, she in  my birth, has given me the share on this cosmic earth .

May I bear a bit of her on my nerve to be there,

and be her mother, when she needs me near.

May I not be scattered in a market toss

to see my interests of  gain and loss.

May I be more than the formality to bow and salute her, on her end

for, mother is the divinity to have come on earth, love to fend !

© Arvind Shah 120524

Translation

 

होंगीं तुम्हारे पास जमाने भर की डिग्रिया,
छलकती आंखों को न पढ़ पाये  तो अनपढ़ हो तुम।
(गुलज़ार)

Translations © Arvind Shah 140324 banglore 

English 

Maybe,  you are in possession
Of Many a grand academic qualification.
But, unable to read the tearful oozing eye
You are, for sure , an illiterate guy.

 
Kashmiri 

आसनय मा चॆ ज़गतॖचि बेशुमार डिगरियॖ 

अगर अशटॉरय हॆकख नॖ परिथ, अनपड छुख चॖ।

सोन्थ मुबारक - Happy Spring

 Soanth Mubarak

Wish you a Happy Spring

(Translation of a kashmiri folklore "Soanth" )

*************************

Crow arrives to say, Crow - Crow 

Myna says spring is up in show  

Bulbul sings for  merriment 

Tankbaten* blooms in excitement 

Naked plants wear green wear

Dried plants get lively cheer

Kukil** hums Guttar Guu""

Poshnul** sings Hymn for Him 

Kostur** sings spring has come

Spring has come - merriment  has come. 

( Kashmiri Text of the folklore in Davnagri script)

काव करान टाव टाव,

हॉर वनान सोंथ आव

बिलबिचुरो दिल शेहलाव,

टेकिबटनि जोश आव।

नंग कुलेन पन द्राव,

होखिमितन जुव चांव।

कुकिलि ज़पान गोविंद गू..,

पोशनूल  वनान ही शंभू।

कस्तूर  वनान सोन्थ हो आव, सोन्थ हो आव।

Welcome SOUANTH🌹🌷💐🎉

---------------------------------

* first spring flower in kashmir

** early spring birds in kashmir

Translation © Arvind Shah 140324