If my beloved is with me,
I am ready to live in heaven.
If my beloved is with me,
I am ready to live in hell.
In his presence, even hell becomes Vrindavan.
With his absence, even heaven becomes hell.
— Sankar Gopalakrishnan Nair
Part of my collection "I Am the Boat" — free on Kindle 6th to 10th April
https://amazon.com/dp/B0GTGM9TW6
(US readers)
https://amazon.in/dp/B0GTGM9TW6
(Indian readers)
Once a wave believed he was not the ocean.
Until then, no wave had ever thought of duality.
He taught the other waves that they were separate from the ocean.
The ocean is our God, he said. We must worship it.
Gradually the other waves began to believe him.
They built temples for the ocean.
Some waves began searching for the ocean.
Some argued there was no such thing as the ocean.
Some held strong faith that the ocean existed somewhere.
They began to quarrel.
One day a wave realised, I am the ocean.
He declared it to the others.
He tried to teach them,
I am the ocean, as you are.
All waves emerge from the ocean.
Some waves are big, some are small,
but all waves finally merge with the ocean.
They crucified him. Century after century.
I Am the Boat, collection of poems is free 6th to 10th on Kindle. https://amazon.com/dp/B0GTGM9TW6 (US readers) https://amazon.in/dp/B0GTGM9TW6 (Indian readers)
I Am the Ocean
Once a wave believed he was not the ocean.
Until then, no wave had ever thought of duality.
He taught the other waves that they were separate from the ocean.
The ocean is our God, he said. We must worship it.
Gradually the other waves began to believe him.
They built temples for the ocean.
Some waves began searching for the ocean.
Some argued there was no such thing as the ocean.
Some held strong faith that the ocean existed somewhere.
They began to quarrel.
One day a wave realised, I am the ocean.
He declared it to the others.
He tried to teach them,
I am the ocean, as you are.
All waves emerge from the ocean.
Some waves are big, some are small,
but all waves finally merge with the ocean.
They crucified him. Century after century.
- Sankar Gopalakrishnan Nair
I Am the Boat is free (April 6th to 10th) on Kindle
If my beloved is with me,
I am ready to live in heaven.
If my beloved is with me,
I am ready to live in hell.
In his presence, even hell becomes Vrindavan.
With his absence, even heaven becomes hell.
Where are you, Krishna?
I have worn this shore thin
with waiting.
The flowers tremble,
as if they carry a secret
they will not release.
The lake holds its breath.
Even the wind
moves carefully here.
A pair of geese
glide through water
that refuses to touch them.
Trees stand in long meditation,
rooted in a silence
I cannot enter.
You are everywhere, they say.
Then why
does absence
have a shape?
Evening gathers
like a question.
Somewhere,
a flute must be breathing.
Or perhaps
it is only my longing
learning your music.
I have emptied my hands.
I have stepped away
from the noise of becoming.
Leave me nothing,
except the dust
of your feet
upon my chest.
I will remain.
Let lifetimes pass
like circles in water
around this stillness.
I am here,
until waiting itself
forgets my name
and becomes you.
— Sankar Gopalakrishnan Nair