Dwelling

The dwelling built is getting old

Damp in rains, in winters cold

All the members of its cast

Are faded memories from the past


The garden yet looks fresh and young

With seasonal flowers that have sprung

Vines are acting as a suture

Holding it together into uncertain future

Didcot
Aug15
© Ratish

Rhyme words taken from poem below as part of poetry workshop

What Fifty Said..

When I was young my teachers were the old.
I gave up fire for form till I was cold.
I suffered like a metal being cast.
I went to school to age to learn the past.

Now when I am old my teachers are the young.
What can't be molded must be cracked and sprung.
I strain at lessons fit to start a suture.
I got to school to youth to learn the future.

Robert Frost

The knife of life

It can cut or cure

Hurt or feed

If used recklessly

It makes you bleed

The knife of life is

A weapon, a tool

The knife of life is

No one's fool

Knives begin sharp

Become blunt in time

Few craftsmen work to

Sharpen their lives

The knife is a gift

Learn to wield it swift

Life is a force

Be Generous

Didcot,  Aug 15

© Ratish

Clear lens and blurred vision

Eye shaped receptacle
Bridged
With soft nose pads

Two slender sticks
Moulded
curved towards the end

Clear high index lens
Mounted
On coloured frame

The vision enhanced
Blurred
later with reflection.

© Ratish
Didcot
Aug 15

Notes to myself: Words and Conversations

Events in recent past have led me to question some of my current mental models on conversation and usage of words.
I had to conduct few difficult conversations with individuals. Also some quips I made were not well received. I have considered retorts and sarcasm to be integral part of conversations.

Words if used in an inopportune manner may be used to misguide, incite hatred, cause hurt or even to filibuster and wash out an entire parliament session.

I required clarity around a few constructs

• What to speak
• What not to speak 
• How to speak it

These are not new questions. Some directions came from the readings:

सत्यं ब्रूयात्  प्रियं ब्रूयात्नब्रूयात्  सत्यमप्रियं
प्रियं च नानृतं ब्रूयात्   एष धर्मः सनातनः

Speak the truth which is pleasant. Do not speak the truth that is undesirable. Never speak untruth, which might be pleasant.This is the path of eternal morality. 

To narrate how things happened is not truth

Some of directions came from sages and practitioners. Kabir in his couplets says:

बोली तो अनमोल है, जो कोई जाने बोल |

हृदय तराजू तोल के, तब मुख बहार खोल ||

Words are priceless for those who know how to use it. They should be weighted inside carefully and then should be spoken out.

मधुर वचन है औषधि, कुटिल वचन है तीर |

श्रवन द्वार है संचरे, साले सकल सरीर ||

Pleasurable words are like medicine and harsh words are like arrow. It enters through the gates of ears and causes distress to the whole body .

While it will take more practice to resolve "what and how" part of the question. From the readings it is clear that I need to exercise more discretion on "what not to speak" part first. We derive pleasure from witty retort as it makes conversation lively and entertaining. The discretion part is that it  should not hurt others.


© Ratish
16 Aug