Poetry

Today, 23 February, is John Keats' passing anniversary. He was snatched away at the young age of 26 (he would have been 27 on 31 October 1821).

I have to thank Sri Chinmoy for knowing Keats. Because of Guru's work Philosopher-Thinkers: The Power-Towers Of The Mind And Poet-Seers: The Fragrance-Hours Of The Heart In The West I became quite sensitive to Keats poetry.

One day I will write about how that book touched and changed my life. For now, here is a section from the volume related to Keats:

This poem is one of the most beautiful I read. It's dolefulness and yearning sparkle with Guru's light all over. This is what it means, to me at least, to be a hero on the battlefield that is our life.

Thank-you, Michael.

I finished writing this little poem, "our Lord Chinmoy" a few days ago. I started composing it on 11 November 2007, after a very vivid image came to me: a gray world, bereft of colours but blessed with deep memories, and a colour-full heaven, celebrating Guru's long awaited return.

Sri Chinmoy always spoke of Mother Mahasaraswati as the strongest connection we have to the the world of Poetry. If anything is good in this poem, I know it is only because of her grace and compassion.

I am currently reading about Kālidāsa, perhaps the greatest poet of all times, and about the language he used, Sanskrit.

Kālidāsa (कालिदास) was a Sanskrit poet and dramatist, his title Kavikulaguru (Preceptor of All Poets) bearing testimony to his stature. His name means, literally, "Kali's servant".

Sanskrit has been called the language of the Gods; the most perfect, the most sublime. It is definitely the most ancient one (Vedic Sanskrit dates back at least to the Mahabharata's age -- about 8000 b.C.).

Following is a striking excerpt about Sanskrit, by Sri Aurobindo.

Here is a striking little poem just published on the Sri Chinmoy Inspiration Group by Slava, one of the nicest I read in months.

Beautiful imagery, well balanced structure, and a delightful rhythm. Also, the rhyming is not forced, but it nicely adds to the whole. I know how difficult that is -- I have been striving to add rhyming to my poems for ages.

I am very inspired by it, not only as a amateur poet, but as a wannabe runner.