Sunday, May 08, 2022

Mother's Day 2022

Mother's Day!

She taught me to ponder, to question, to fight. 
She taught me to speak up and not compromise. 
She taught me to revel even in small glories of life
She taught me to see the inconsistencies, the humour in strife. 

Death or Life is what one makes of it. 
The beginning is an end and the end a beginning.

She taught me to respect myself before others.
She taught me self worth was the best among all treasures. 
She taught me to improve, she criticised like hell.
Oh the times we had when at each other we yelled!
The next minute was tea time and we were at peace.
She taught me to compartmentalise thus with ease. 

"She is gone, you must miss her," people say.
But I can still hear her tell me that I am turning her hair more grey 😂
She has left a legacy that I cannot live up to
But then I am only making her words come true. 😜

"Potential wasted", "Head up in clouds" 
Her voice still resounds. 

But I know I can go onward for she gave me hope and faith. 
She taught me there was nothing that could stand in my will's way. 
She taught me that we never really fail. 
She taught me to chart my own path as I set sail. 

I can never be as good as her. 
I also did not learn all from this teacher. 
But we had loads of fun along the way. 
And people may go, but memories stay.

So thank you, Amma, for so many gifts
Treasured moments, togetherness even admist rifts. 😁

For teaching, persevering, challenging, 
For befriending, supporting, understanding. 

May you be free (in all senses) now
Wherever you are, take a bow 😜

For this too a scolding; I can construct the litany. 
But hey, it is a free world, and you taught me to push boundaries. 😜😂

- Written through 7 night -8 morning May 2022.
- Self-explanatory. 

Celebrate: This is not a loss.

'How do you feel?' 
'Be not strong, let go', say people
But the legacy left me is courage
To try, to smile, even when afraid.
To accept gracefully
Fate's decree. 
To not lament one's lack. 
To focus on blessings had. 
To strive to be better. 
To not let limitations deter.

Some who know me, know
How I have had to 'go with the flow':
To struggle to even walk,
To hold a pencil or to even talk. 
Through dark times and the times of happiness
Mom was a powerhouse relentless. 

Do I miss her? I know not.
I can still hear her at me scoff. :)
Maybe when memory fades
When of her voice, her face, there is just a faint trace.
Then I will mourn the distance. 

For now she is painfree. 
Charting her new path and as usual making merry. 
For now I am glad she won her toss. 
On her terms came death: Celebrate. This is not a loss.




- Written through 23-28 April 2022.
- Self-explanatory. 

Amma — Kamala Ramanathan



Sometimes words fail
For emotions are complex, thoughts frail.

A flat line can say a lot,
Gone. Breathed her last.

A relief from all the pain for her. 
For newer, better pastures, checked out of earth.

As people recount their favourite memories
I realise afresh her rich legacy:
A life well lived
With amazing grace and grit.

She was fading anyway
She to a shell was changed.

So, this is release.
May she be at peace,
Long lost, hard won. 
Cheers to my friend, my teacher number one.

Amma - Kamala Ramanathan
16 Sep 1951 - 20 April 2022: Earth journey marked done.

- Written on 20 April 2022 
- Self-explanatory. 

May whoever gets her eyes and skin stay blessed.

The End of an Era

The end of an era,
The end of Lata
The beloved voice of India
Irreplaceable, revered, multi-talented womaniya.

From the tumri to the ghazal,
From pop to classical
Her voice mesmerized
She sang and we rejoiced.

She could bring us a tear
She could emote pity and fear
She could make us laugh
She could inspire us to strive hard.

Itni shakti hume dena daata was an assembly prayer
For greatness, to better oneself she made us care. 
She took us on a journey of Ajeeb dastaan
Never wanted it to end, this beautiful samaa.
Romance was defined by the voice of this spinster
Tragedy to comedy she added to all intricate layers.
 
Her awaaz is her pehchaan
Ti gaati kiti chaan, ti hasti mahaan. 
With 50,000 songs in 14 languages
She has won the world through all ages. 

Bharat Ratna to Padma Bhushan
Awards could not catch up with this talent.
Death too cannot win, for she is legend.
Lata Mangeshkar, you will live on in the songs we listen.

- aWritten on 6 Feb 2022.
- Self-explanatory.