Editor's Choice
Theme: Life

Aftermath of Sandy

The roar settled
waves shrunken
ocean calm
though the lingering
dark clouds
aide-mémoire the aftermath
of Sandy’s tandava
     gory, tormenting
     plaguing devastation
enveloping all
in a state of shock
and grief
 
On knees is today
tri-state’s urban fabric
     powerless
     gasless
     derisory
onset of winter
appears cruel

Yet the mourning has to stop
and the skies have to brighten
once man’s survival instinct
        strengthened
        by the muscle of resilience
is put to test … again
  
 
Related:
A storm called Sandy*   
Fury of Sandy Hurricane 
Revival after Sandy*


Images (c) gettyimages.com
 

02-Nov-2012

More By  :  Rajender Krishan

Views: 1525     Comments: 15

Comments on this Poem

Comment Thanks all for your valuable comments.

Raj
04-Nov-2012 22:47 PM

Comment Dear Rajenderji
The Disaster Preparedness was of the highest quality for Sandy. Strict protocols were followed and the government succeeded in limiting the causalities. But Sandy gave pent to its wrath in Haiti and Dominican Republic where there are no preparedness programmes in place. The United Nations did also minimal for this place.
A wonderful poem

Amitabh

Amitabh Mitra
04-Nov-2012 13:58 PM

Comment Devastation and re-creation; optimism in most challenging circumstances----Homo Sapiens defined. A gem by Rajenderji...among others.

sunilsharma
04-Nov-2012 01:22 AM

Comment short but touchy poem... sir

nayna
03-Nov-2012 13:57 PM

Comment Yes, emotive expression, sad still, hopeful it must be!

Aju Mukhopadhyay
03-Nov-2012 11:51 AM

Comment 3 November 2012
TO: Mr. Rajender Krishan
Again reminds me Tagore's song -

"Je rat-e mor duarguli bhanglo jhare,
Jani-naito tumi ele aamar ghare...."

(= The night when the tempest smashed my doors
I knew not Thou had made way to my abode..."

What causes us terror, the poet see in it the hands of God. I can't help quoting elaborately his interpretation of Upanishads -

“One day gods were terror to man. To please whom for a comfortable life or whose displeasure brings disaster, could not be decided by man. To please the power with which there is no spiritual link, humans gathered to worship it with animal sacrifice and such rituals. That worship out of fright is not a festivity. Just as when we are in the hands of the dacoits, we say, ‘we give you whatever I have, but please spare our life’; similarly, to keep pleased the invisible power, on earth man said that day, ‘We’ll give You everything, please don’t put us in crisis’. But that is not a gift of Joy. Once you perceive the God of Joy, there will be no fear. This God of Joy means ‘More’ – that surpasses all; whatever I had or understood, He is more than that; whatever I had not or had lost, He is more than that too. He is greater than wealth, honour and comfort. So, in the worship of ‘More’ man has joyously said, ‘take my wealth, life and honour’. To know this ‘More’ within one’s heart and outside, is not for mundane comfort. The day man has realized that he is not a beast neither his God is, that he is great and so is his God, he has accepted utmost sorrow. That day man became victorious, a hero and so it was celebrated. Just as a bird on the verge of darkness founts its song of joy at the very touch of the sun rays, so does man when divinity touches him; he declares, ‘I am the son of the Immortal’; says he, ‘I have got it!’, with the strength of which he perceives the Immortal within himself, fears no more, and death cannot daunt him; facing the danger he says, ‘my journey is ahead; stop I won’t; I have no defeat; O Terrible, Your grace is boundless’.”]
Maybe, the poet's views are relevant to 'Sandy' also.
Rajat Das Gupta


Rajat Das Gupta
03-Nov-2012 10:14 AM

Comment this a very good, worthy and optimistic poem

janoscarhansen
03-Nov-2012 06:36 AM

Comment Bitter facts!

Pavalamani Pragasam
03-Nov-2012 03:54 AM

Comment Sandy storm shock has shaken and stranded you in winter cold with no power supply and food items rotted in refrigerator and all! It is more than hell in urban areas and challenge to all technological advancements there!

taramesh
03-Nov-2012 03:53 AM

Comment Rajendra ji,

Sad, but there is a lesson to learn in all this: as we do, so we will reap. Human beings have played too much with nature, wemust see now what natures can do to us. At Chennai too, it was bad!

Julia

Julia Dutta
03-Nov-2012 02:31 AM

Comment Resilient as ever, the charm of forbearance splashes into the horizon of nature's dance!

Jennifer Marie Bayer
03-Nov-2012 02:25 AM

Comment Yes,sir.During testing times steely resolve helps immensely.One has to move on.Sharing your concerns sincerely.

Sony Dalia
03-Nov-2012 01:20 AM

Comment Most apt and wonderful poem, bhai. This proves that even the superpower is helpless against the Nature.
This is nothing new for our planet-only sad part is that we are comparatively new to all this and yet we think that we are super...

V.K. Joshi
03-Nov-2012 01:12 AM

Comment You capture the aftermath of the hurriance effectively in this write Rajinder! Great write

Sandra Martyres
03-Nov-2012 01:12 AM

Comment hope springs eternal, does it not? and geographical or sociological difference has no meaning there. it is the human spirit that triumphs when tragedy is met, full on.

kusum
03-Nov-2012 00:50 AM


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