Masks We Live By: Philosophic Outburst
By Raja Sharma
Copyright@2011Raja Sharma
All Rights Reserved.
Preface
Thoughts which always seem to be in the back of our minds, but are never truly brought forth to consider the beauty and rhythms of the natural wonders with which this planet, and Man, have been blessed. Until they are given meaningful substance--more than a vague recognition, at any rate, and laid upon the canvas of our lives. With images painted bright and true, the artist allows us to share in his delights, and to join in a celebration of all things good, great or small, some seemingly insignificant and unworthy, but when presented by the thoughtful and the caring artist, we are witness to the miracles of Life. And Love.
I thank you for this book. It is a very worthwhile accomplishment.
Frank Fields
Chapter 1: Masks We Live By
Donning masks of ugly sublimity
My smiles expertly conceal abhorrence
That makes up for coveted humility
Granting me disgusting welcome clearance.
Love entangled in masks of worldly need
Sobs and sighs in lines of Ibsen and Bard.
Fife soundless no wind to shake Lucy’s reed
Pope’s Belinda seen still playing her card.
Words of Walter n Frank ambrosia of time
Do reach me with subtle acquiescence here.
Many a smithy waits for blessing in line
Through book I admire many who are there.
What would I be if masks were ripped off?
Alone shall I go no one to see me off!
Chapter 2: No Woods to Stop By
The ultimate Sabbath of no return
Limbs numb, eyes drowsy, mind sinking deep
Eerie ambiance betokened now my turn
The end of my miles, and promising sleep.
Kinsfolk helpless, myriad expectations
Haply joyous a few, some deeply down
Fleeting moments assessing relations
Once I had her glimpse in her starry gown.
Would I exchange sublime slumber for life
So highly reeking of greedy human?
Why in those lovers' days of love n strife
I mindless poor one made this cruel time run!
O, sightless one! Explore with the sight here,
Be disillusioned, see things crystal clear!
Chapter 3: BC to Ad
Walk three Magi, time BC,
Morning star pursue with glee.
A Child is born to alter course,
Find to kill, use every force.
King H. proud in power blind,
Fear and death akin in mind.
Baby Boy then Man Sage Lord,
Son own human form praise God.
Dark minds philistine with fear
Crucify Lord with thieves near.
One Soul Divine missed say me,
Death gave time new page AD.
Chapter 4: My Dancing God
He dances; He revels,
His nature so excels.
You saint sad shroud,
Life taint mad cloud.
He grows; His flowers grow,
He sows this, cowards mow.
You cocooned mad saint,
Rue, be fooled sad paint.
He my dancing God Divine,
Grape shy trancing Lord in vine.
You cry His name all in vain,
Avarice, hate, then fall in pain.
He life bestows to live 'n' grow,
See, he bellows, Lo! kill 'n' throw.
Make His dance your rosy France,
Take a glance, my poesy dance.
Chapter 5: Humanity
Hear now a heart cries
Under worldly load it tries
Make a move so sorrow flies.
Ask with love a question deep
Now where is the Maker of sheep?
In you will find love to keep.
Tears, sobs, pain give clear clue
Sad how lone way out is through
Yes, living God dwells in you.
Chapter 6: Oh…World!
Don't let them do this to us!
Boom blaze burning towers
Cut cries crushing powers
Bring them back to us.
Don't let them do this to us!
Vacant window widow cries
Tumbled tossed toddler tries
Our sons come back to us.
Don't let them do this to us!
Big bellied boss smiles
Rival rivaled raven flies
Lost hopes now mock at us.
Don't let them do this to us!
Lord life love weep
Sinful Adam sunk deep
Make grass again seed to us.
Don't let them do this to us!
Chapter 7: Departed Tears!
Love held back tears
Heart weld at fears.
Black hat pull over
Grass short by mower.
Love nor beloved no
Decay hay plod sow.
Shower lessen the pain
Vain tears no gain.
Those smiles with tear'
Knew you were near.
Shock pain fear tear
Death pine mute smear.
Chapter 8: Poetic Priest
Fail to see Frost in a blade of grass?
Pray,ask thee a Tyger who Blake was!
Mingle the self to see Marvell's Glass,
Twinkle of Keats to give God in Brass,
Single thou, fold hands, bow, join the Mass.
Try to rekindle the fire,
See yourself out of the MIRE.
Chapter 9: A Tribute to a Forgotten Poet
Lay me anywhere you like,
For bottles sans wine don't amuse.
Say, let me sleep in dark night,
Cry you aloud, my ears refuse,
Image lost: poet recluse.
They cursed, howled, in a dim sight,
For words my own're lost in muse.
Dead poet now is shown the light,
Cry you aloud, my ears refuse,
Image lost: poet recluse.
Chapter 10: Then You Slowly Come to Me
Then you slowly come to me.
I will always be there,
I will always be there.
If heart-broken you are left alone,
Submerged in tears to sigh and moan,
When leaves of spring far and gone,
Humming birds now yonder flown,
Then you slowly come to me.
I will always be there,
I will always be there.
Now you are an ocean of glamour,
Many a lotus will grow in the manor,
When youth shies away from you,
And the mirror always frightens you,
Then you slowly come to me.
I will always be there,
I will always be there.
Chapter 11: Nothing Remains
Seed
of life
Sun and light
Learn eat drink grow
Enjoy the youth to zenith
Sluggish words decline
Step by step
Waning moon
Tomb
Chapter 12: Death of Poesy
A dark slow death I smell in air
Old poesy moans both nude and bare
A Chaucer tale in infancy
Chaos now heard everywhere.
Lines twelve Bard ended with a pa
ir
Lucy’s Wordsworth gave nature’s care
Blake and Shelly dared new fancy
Milton added a divine share.
Now says this is all that I care
Wolf devours every lamb and hare
Sly and ugly beguiling as death
Old poet stands in tears to stare.
Chapter 13: Now I Speak
Mind blank as slate sans any thought
First sound stirs the darkness deep
Voice struggles to break first block
Steps raise hold father’s finger
Shake stumble with fear unknown
Mother is first heard singer
Giggles and cries fill sweet home.
Glass fills fast and body grows
Thoughts form voice mind all are there
Parents proud joy plenty shows
This is life new now and here.
Sons shall rise against fathers
Learned suited scorn for all
No confluence tries as harder
Young and old with spleen and gall.
Chapter 14: No “Coming” Now
Scattered numbers of Adams wait,
Why is that Second Coming late?
Throngs baffle Lord at the Hell’s gate,
Why Adam chose his ugly fate?
Yonder, poet in dark thought of light!
Scribbles lines of Adam in plight.
Why is bliss an eternal night?
Beware! These Adams gnaw ‘n’ bite!
Now shrouds, coffins, and graves they sell,
Touch their land water air, they yell!
Deaf was, has been, is to the knell,
Where, if He comes, will now He dwell?
Chapter 15: The Dark Boss
To Money, Sex, Drugs, and Drinks,
All call in their fun:
And to these virtues of dark
Return their thankfulness.
For Money, Sex, Drugs, and Drinks,
Is Boss, our mentor dear:
And Money, Sex, Drugs, and Drinks,
Is Man, his child and care.
For Money has a satanic heart,
Sex an ugly face:
And Drugs, the hazy form crime,
And Drinks, the social dress.
Then everyman of every clime,
That jumps in this surplus
Prays to the hazy form crime,
Drink, Money, Sex, Drugs.
All must hate the hazy form,
In Hindu, Muslim, or You.
Where Money, Sex, Drugs dwell
There Boss is dwelling too!
Chapter 16: Promise Kept
Forced, far, far, and quite forlorn,
Away from you I be gone.
Destination, point of no return,
Recognition mine lost in the run.
Tale so sad that bard cannot relate,
My life, once again, like a blank slate.
Nothing hidden yet nothing was shown.
Forced, far, far, and quite forlorn,
Away from you I be gone.
Trepidation stills memory of name,
Exhibition of tears drink of shame.
Pledge will force me to go on living,
Your image will refuse my bidding.
Happy clouds with dark winds will be blown.
Forced, far, far, and quite forlorn,
Away from you I be gone.
Chapter 17: Quest for Human
I'd like to meet a human here and now
Blake's weary Tyger won't inspire hard bones
Do you discern values, of lamb or cow?
Will Wordsworth's own rainbow obscure the tones?
Will changing 'Y' to 'I' make it better?
Lamb to them is but mutton on a plate
Divinity gone: now beef serves them better
Bring swine with you and aggravate the hate.
Whiteness has always fueled apartheid
Ethnic struggle with hope brings zest to life
Shades of color won't find a place to hide
Mr. Noone, a loon, disregards life's strife.
If you meet a Human, please send him soon
Any form or substance will be a boon.
Chapter 18: Blue Flower
Love to me is not a bard's metaphor
An ardent longing with myriad shadows
My love Marvell's mistress at a distant shore.
Play did I with passion when youth was prime
Pray, play of bodies was Phoenix revived
Wanton ways did this body sway with time.
Ever faithful, forever your, is noise
Clamoring world leaves poet sans any choice.
Come once slowly, don't tread, hark this heart's call
Shed self, discern vision with heart not eyes
This outcast Odysseus has love for all.
Chapter 19: I Wondered
We flourish on the blood money
We all eat drink in flood, honey.
Air
Land
Sea
All plundered
Adam
Man
Manus
None wondered?
We come, die, become history
We who come now face mystery.
Hitler
Mao
Stalin
Killed unnumbered!
NATO
UN
US
Failed blundered!
We the dark pilgrims of dark land
We will not learn to lend a hand?
Castro
Osama
Saddam
Days numbered?
Comes
Next
Who
I wondered!
Chapter 20: Christmas Gift
Gloomy little girl gazing up
Saw a bright little star fall down.
Pastoral hopes were not yet shut,
For Pa'd come home from the town.
Lights, goodies she'd hang on tree
With little doll she'd dance around.
Heavenly bliss'd add to glee
Her little feet won't stay on ground.
Xmas carol, the music of band
Which seemed to her the sweetest sound.
Uncle John'd come from England
Not a dollar, a golden pound.
Yonder, hateful rattling Devil
Broke the music in jovial town.
Xmas bells sang,"Why shoot and kill?"
Wailed with the bodies on the ground.
Gloomy little girl, sleepy eyes
Looked to the door whence came a sound.
A hearse black halted with deep sighs
And she found her Pa without sound.
Little girl's carol glued to tongue
When Pa was gently laid on ground.
Wanted to shout, refused the lung
The Devil sent gift poor girl found!
Chapter 21: Life’s Celebration
Lonely pilgrim travels to reach nowhere
Here one he meets, one leaves; will all be there?
Pastor's saw to be revered, science sows doubt,
Why then there be row when life's dark as cloud?
Harsh one succeeds, wins, winks, and powers shine,
Will humble souls get the blessings divine?
He scorns at poet's meditations in poesy,
Tautology makes bland nature rosy.
Let his God remain a mystery deep,
No marvel in Tyger, and sheep is sheep!
He celebrates life's festival all days,
Pilgrim's heart leaps with joy in myriad ways.
Hedonist he is sure not, he implores,
Happy Sisyphus happily stone rolls.
Chapter 22: All that Wis
dom
When it began nothing was pleasant, dear,
Letter, word, phrase, line, and teacher's harsh voice,
Three score years now, that treasure I find here.
Listen, read, write, and speak with joyless face,
Passed, jumped, like neverending load it grew,
Now the premise knows the strength of the base.
Speed, think fast, tell, glory of passing days,