chenda echoes aadi-taalam an evening sun glows resplendent before self withdrawing
black cat on rooftop fire works blast from temple street sounds confuse
a bike engine starts sunlight blinds eyes a bird shadow dissolves.
distant crow appears vanishes traffickers in sheer impatience blare horns christmas star still dangles
gentle breeze washes cacophony of multiple horns beautiful girl in black
young girl in yellow floats a dream in twilight fades before it begins
a family after a fair two pigeons appear to disappear workshop hammers fierce
public meeting blasting eloquent ignorance the eastern sky grays a sparrow glides in
baldhead walks on air breeze gently fondles invades verdure nods approval
leaves of banyan sparkle nandyaarvattom faintly remembers construction work noise
gushing water resounds undecipherable distant echo hails vehicles in perpetual motion.
mother and daughter to temple pigeon wanders on rooftop tiles squirrel ambles along terrace ridge
clouds fuse into sky sunlight spilling on road fades two women giggle walk on.
violent speech on mike hissing ~ a squirrel now on roof top vanishes into my head
chenda engine fury horns finding winding ways ~ serious crow rubs beak on tree trunk
old man on a pilgrimage series of baldheads float on ~ a squirrel trapezes on telephone wire
faces seek meaning in flow empty road keeps little late evening insect sparkles in aerial acrobatics
old film song blasts air empty brick wall dries moss ageing evening siren shrieks to silence
diffused sky swallows world detail light fades delicately slowly great stillness in wild sound.
Note ~ I was inevitably forced to use four non-English words in this poem ~ I apologize and elucidate them here ~
Chenda ~ A very powerful percussion instrument in the great collection of Indian percussion instruments ~ Nativity Kerala ~ Chenda is about three feet long, large, cylindrical, hung on the shoulders ~ Chenda is an intrinsic part of the temple rituals especially of central Kerala where I live ~ The Various Poorams (Annual Temple Festivals with many decorated elephants arrayed) are a special ritual of this area ~ Thrissur Pooram is very famous drawing many tourists annually ~ Grand multiple ensembles of percussion instruments Chenda,Maddalam, Edakkya, Timila etc. are a common occurrence ~ I note that many (as many as a hundred Chendas Play together for the famous Araattupuzhza Pooram)~ Chenda with Maddalam are the accompanying instruments of the famous classical dance drama of Kerala, Kathakali, which now is recognized in the world drama scene ~ To be an adept in Chenda it would take about twenty years of rigorous training if one has talent! Chenda is so loud that you can hear it from miles away ~ (Root ~ Malayaalam)
Aadi ~ The Primordial ~ (Root ~ Sanskrit)
Taalam ~ Rhythm Cycles ~ (Root ~ Sanskrit)
Aadi Talaam (The Primordial Rhythm Cycles of Eight) ~ The most commonly used Taalam in South India! ~ There are countless Taalams (Rhythm Cycles) in Indian Classical Tradition! Taalam (Taal in Hindustani music) is not merely beats, but cyclic Rhythms in grand free multiple partitions ~ It is a vast terrain!
Nandiaarvattom ~ This is a delicately scented small white flower used in Ritual Worship in Temples and homes ~ This flower is prominent in Kerala and the name Nandiaarvattom has deep etymological and mythological significance ~ Nandiaarvattom is considered especially auspicious for Lord Shiva! (Root ~ Sanskrit, Tamizh)
Special Note ~ There are three ways to treat this sequence of verses .
1] treat it as linked free verse
2] treat it as linked gendai haiku with extra images and syllables
