Poetry

Daniel Griffin photo

By

Ujjwala Kakarla

Dark Side of India

Countryside burning hot to the scorching

Sun,

Heat waves showered down like a breath of hell,

The ball of fire bounced off its red lava,

The trees on the eastern hill withered in mute,

The white stones on the ridges shimmering

red to the intense sun rays,

The whole country lifeless and empty…

Seems like the populace migrated in fear of

enemies during battle time,

Men, women, kids and the old,

All starving in hunger lying sick

behind closed doors,

No sign of even dried up grass in the farmlands,

The buffaloes roaring in hunger…

and the sounds reverberating the whole terrain

in bizarre,

A huge neem tree that sheltered many country folks

blackened in decay,

Waterless wells and river beds

Women licked in sun burned faces returning with

empty pots hopeless,

Mourning in despair, the whole country

looked to be as barren as a cemetery.

Vision of Insight

These narrow eyes watch scores of people,

Some known strangers,

Some unknown intimates,

Though watchful yet sightless,

Mind in spectacles of insight,

Beholds the sight of …

Neither near nor dear ones,

So familiar, even so seem strange,

Although nameless yet seem so familiar

Whoever one may be…

Oft for that inner eye,

A peasant sweating in the hot sun,

Seem familiar than a greedy merchant

riskless!

A street sweeper cleaning the litter and filth

Seem close to heart than an intellectual barbarian!

A poor vegetable vendor selling with integrity,

Seem alongside than a top city broker!

Innocent, Practical minded country-dweller seem

dear than a crafty urban impractical advisor!

To open that inner insight makes possible broaden

one’s physical eyesight.

Ujjwala Kakarla

Dr.Ujjwala Kakarla is by occupation a Professor of English, literally a Poet and Writer, poetic reviewer, by ideology a spiritual activist, by choice a passionate researcher in Aesthetics and Indo-Anglian Poetry, and moreover a trainer in soft skills and personality development.  She also served as a web consultant freelancer for Bodh Bridge Educational Services, IIT Chennai.

She authored five books – three anthologies of Poetry viz., Lyrical Whispers of Self, Musical Marvels of Self, and In Within.  Her book of research includes a comparative study of Indian and Western Aesthetics in Sri Aurobindo’s Criticism. Her current book Heart to Pen is an anthology of anecdotes and parables published by Partridge Publishing House, USA. She has been one of the authors for the Oops, a book of short stories. Her poetic reviews have been published in the book, Saudade.

She has published numerous research papers widely in refereed research journals of national and international repute. A few of her poems and short stories have been published in the journal Daath Voyage.

She can be reached at [email protected]