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Theme: Woman

Silk Routes

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Silk routes of India converged
On the South Indian city of Cochin
Where brides demurred and glittered
At a sprawling sari arcade
Like lamps on a windless Diwali night

Colors poured over them
As did unwed salesgirls
Attending on and draping them with passion
Their hearts filled with dreams
Of rainbow hues
Of eligible men on the distant horizon
With wedding garlands in their hands

The sale should go on
Season or no season
Monsoon or no rain
No matter who weds or remains unwed
Insensitive remains
Silk and fiber to youthful dreams
Heart, emotions and passion

Delighted stood the prospective bride
A smile perched on her lips
Busy moved the salesgirls around like bees
With a Goddess sobbing in their hearts
Silent like the unwed one of the Cape
Lighted by a flickering lamp on a summer night
As silk routes converged on Cochin
Careless who did wed or who did weep
Image © Madathil Rajendran Nair

30-May-2014

More By  :  Madathil Rajendran Nair

Views: 1394     Comments: 10

Comments on this Poem

Comment Immense thanks Rian, Ru, Kamal, Siva, Menon-ji, Haridas-ji, Neelalantan-ji, Vijay-ji and Abhishek for your appreciation. Vijay-ji, the lady squatting in the foreground in the picture is in fact the vivacious and exuberant Madam Beena Kannan of Seematti! Ubiquitously, she is the soul of the whole place due to whom people love to throng her showroom. She had graciously approved the writing of this poem. I thank her profusely.

madathilnair
04-Jun-2014 09:17 AM

Comment Someone once said, "To be an artist, one must be a human passionately. To be a human, one must be an artist completely."

To recognize another's pain without being told it explicitly - that is a gift. And you have captured it beautifully.

Abhishek Nair
03-Jun-2014 12:52 PM

Comment Very pithy. The yearning of the sales girls is palpable in your verse.

Neelakantan
01-Jun-2014 15:47 PM

Comment Very light hearted poem. Enjoyed it. Hope Beena Kannan (Seemati) gets to read this:) She might think of giving some raise to her sales people.

Vijayakumaran Nair
01-Jun-2014 14:19 PM

Comment The imagery of the sales girls contrasting (or was it a case of imbuement?) with the Virgin of the cape brings forth the deepest empathy of the poet! Carry on Rajettan we are waiting for more from you!

Haridas Warrier
01-Jun-2014 04:59 AM

Comment Bride wants to present herself as beautiful on marriage venue. Sales Girls want the costliest to be sold to bride so that their commission will increase and give a chance to afford purchasing such a costly sari so that they also will look grand on their marriage venue. good description

Ramdas Menon
31-May-2014 12:51 PM

Comment Nice one Rajetta!!

Siva Ramaswami
31-May-2014 12:11 PM

Comment Nice one. Offbeat too :)

Kamal
31-May-2014 12:02 PM

Comment excellent..

Rupradha
31-May-2014 04:12 AM

Comment Marvellous, yet poignant!

Rian John
30-May-2014 19:39 PM


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