Log and Speck

My left hand moved swiftly to remove
the log in my left eye, sitting there
obstructing my vision of the globe
leading to an erroneous measure!

But my right did travel much more swift
to prevent that left arm serving good
thwarting the removal of wood
to enhance my vision of planet!

My left eye joined the protest of right
complaining saw dust in my neighbour’s
demanding that my left hand too joins
the right to remove my neighbour’s speck!

Henry Victor 23.09.2003

Persistent Protest

Neatly made walking trails
along the winding river are marked
by mutual protest, natures’s to human encroachment
and human doggedness to nature’s subversive-ness
reminding me of the bleeding of the eternal enemies
the coiling cobra and the menacing mongoose

At the end, who will triumph
in that inhuman battle against nature
to enhance egotistical human culture

Silently I stay and survey, singing simultaneously
songs of miserable melancholy
and ecstatic exultation

Henry Victor 18.06.2003

Untitled

Bless my little note pad
Oh my dear Lord
May this inspire me
And lead me
Into your city
Where I pity
Not myself but rejoice
In your grace that is my choice!

Henry Victor 13.08.2004

My Green Wheelbarrow

I remember carrying on head
and then on shoulders
sometimes with both hands
sand for building and cow dung
raw for holding dust and bricks
dry for growing beans and drumsticks!

I remember borrowing
for that very same purpose
an old wheelbarrow
from a neighbour
sometimes from my brother
with it hearing more grumbling!

I remember the wheelbarrow, green
new, and my own
the much sand and cow dung
it carried for me
to keep at bay all puddle
and keep it greener with no complaint!

Henry Victor 12.09.2004

Forbidden Fruit

Are you that donkey?
A writer!
Then better bray
nothing but madness

Then, and only then
you will contribute
towards an understanding
that litter, that self in fetter

Then, someone there will dare
to celebrate
that forbidden fruit
your wisdom saying: “awesome”!

Henry Victor 28.10.2004

More Ramblings of Alice!

Walking in the woods
thinking
concepts and words
beyond a secured civility
with questions untamed
and comments wild
I talk, and talk
as I walk
overcoming my fear
of the other
and my own nervousness
of the unknown
discovering only one:

In woods, always
there are two ways
two signs that point to the same:

One said:
“Tweedledum’s House”

The other read:
“To the House of Tweedledee”

Henry Victor 04.12.2004

Alice’s Ramblings!

Just a gnat, yet
you make them bigger
with a big name: butterfly
bread-and-butter-fly
horse fly
and rocking-horse fly
dragonfly
and snapdragon fly

If they were to drop the name
will they be smaller?
I wonder
as I wander
through this forest
and listen to the buzzing of gnats
that whine over
their lack of dominion
despite their names so superior

My name
the best
the sweetest
the only, I know
a human -
at which all run like a fawn

Without that name
I’m nothing!

Henry Victor 04.12.2004

Cobras

Pretty young cobra, just out of shell
With that cute hood, the unique stamp
Marked with an omega, or some read
On that hat, that unrelenting Om!

I walked too close with that kerosene can
In mind not harm but desire to own
But now I see hissing, so sudden
Cobras, diverse color, in dozen

From that very empty sandy ant hill
Moving into protect the small snake
I took a step behind, me to wake
And think of that strange dreaming still

Henry Victor 15.07.2003

Note: Photograph provided by Gitanjali Victor

Butterfly

Fluttering butter-
Fly that I saw in daylight
Yet I saw not self

Henry Victor 11.04.2003

Greatest Orator!

Cowardly cowboy, I saw, binding hand
of the desert Bedouin masculine man
with the help of his gutless allies
fastening iron arms with filthy sanctions

Then from close range, and guided missiles
shooting right in chest of the courageous
bare-fisted hero, while the murderous
hand, for years shivered, quivered and shook

Spineless weakling then declared himself
the super-power of global town
reminding me: “In world of the dumb
stutterer is the greatest orator”

Henry Victor 14.04.2003

Walking With Ease

More I anxiously think of my pelt wallet
I realize I’m constantly pushed into a closet
Less my father went for his leather purse
I remember that he walked with greater ease

Henry Victor 28.09.2003

Work the Faith

You have been set free
To set others free
Faith is not
A spectator sport
Learn a simple truth
Share it
Discover your gift
And release it
Hook up
On a project
Not as the boss
But as a partner
Give your ear
Not your tongue
To talk her story
Look for opportunities
And meet the needs
Others passed
By the other side

Henry Victor 17.01.2003

That Distant Star

He was like that gliding eagle high above
far, farther away from frenzied flock
of little stupid sparrows fretting -
sweating small stuff and silly substance!

I saw him that lonely snowy owl
far apart from flying frightened flock
but with telescopical eyes and night vision
getting rid of rodents that rot life!

He is that singular prophetic poet
singing not for juvenile strollers
neither dancing for cheap applauses
shinning fearless like that distant star!

Henry Victor 02.04.2003

Consecrated Cemetery

Your holy temple you loaned me to carry
I have transformed into a cemetery to bury
turkey, chicken, cow, pig, lamb and many
bird and animal carcass

Your sacred space you cherished
is, now, stinking with many stench
while flies of many kinds hover and buzz

polluting the fragrant air disturbing

your rhythmic music that heals

my hurt heart and the swollen silly soul

Henry Victor 10.11.2003

Chemistry Controls!

Unlike the orang-utan, my physical needs
To eat, drink, and have sex
Earlier I thought, was controlled
By my highly evolved metaphysical will
Being watched over by a guardian angel
Spying also my activities in that secret space

But after much struggle and constant defeat
I discover, very much to my relief
I cannot alter my chemistry that controls
And the present Master Chemist
Is that all-inclusive Merciful Ruler
Who leaves no space for another monster!

Henry Victor 26.10.2003

I Beg!

Returning to that very source of all beings
I beg from that foundation of my existence

For a single ray of light in the sun
That I may never be confounded in confusion

For a piece of cool calmness of the moon
that I may never loose my serenity

For a sparkle of that unceasing dance of the fire
that I may never fail to warm another soul

For a moment in that swiftness of the lightning
that I may never procrastinate my responsibility

For a bit of gentleness of that gentle breeze
that I may not snuff out a dream of a fragile human

For a morsel of depth of the ocean
that I may not bear a pharisaic hypocrisy, superficiality

For a scrap of firmness of the rock
that in me others may discover a security

For a crumb of stability of the mother earth
that I may be found dependable as I journey the globe

Henry Victor 01.12.2003

true credibility

rock is my celebrity

by her refusal to join

the rat race

leading to an accrual

an immoral increase

eating the inner soul

the true individual

and human culture

rock, an icon

i carved for my spirituality

leading to a firm non-conformist spirit

within

living beyond a craving

to receive, or give

boosting ego

absent in a godly soul

rock, then, inspires

my true credibility

emerging from the strength of self

neither to absorb

nor to react

but sit, simply wait

letting praise go

and curse pass-by  

henry victor 05.12.2003

Greater Inspiration!

Energy in the libido
gets activated to do
like an hiss of a cobra
when eyes by chance
at a changing of costume, gaze
mostly the opposite gender
sparking off either
a poetic lead
or, an urge to proceed
confirming the age old fact
that not in a full exposure
but from half nakedness
the spirit emerges to inspire!

Henry Victor 08.12.2003

Happiness I See

I am angry
and I see all
as a blank wall

I begin to stare
placing words on paper
in front of me

And now

happiness I see

Henry Victor 27.11.2003

i worked my creed

at thirteen i was an expert

in using a hoe, a mann-vetty
we called it then!

with my brothers

i joined my dad digging our well
mom too joining us very cheerful!

i discovered also the way to use a pickaxe

that we took frequently to the blacksmith
who dipped in fire before beating it well!

i learnt the art to split

the wood with an axe
to bring firewood to cook!

then my palm was hard

while my heart and mind
became firm to run our farm!

these lessons i had

and experiences i accumulated
moulded my creed to make it tough!

 

henry victor 05.12.2003

A Defence!

Barren and empty
Covered with wit and noise
The shell that house like a tortoise
To pull self in
When someone for wisdom look in
My direction!

Putting head out
Just for moments to tell
My greatness, and yell
Neighbour’s smallness
Calling it orthodoxy, a defence
For my master’s silence!

Henry Victor 05.12.2003

The Dead!

I pity my younger brother died
first, at his prime youth
after living a stormy life
in a world that he saw as too wild!

I love my mother, died
before her time was right
seeing less of a loving company
in a world that she saw as too cold!

I respect my father, died
living a full fourscore years
enjoying with joy both good and evil
in a world which the victor is the bold!

Henry Victor 30.11.2003

Power of Powerlessness

I quest after that power
that puts Jesus of Nazareth
not among the earthly leaders
enthroned by the history of humanity!

I quest after that power
that Son of Mary was clothed
while freely feeling the skin
the leper wore while walking the street!

I quest after that power
that the Galilean carpenter
carried as his trusted tool
chiselling the decaying logs of Palestine!

I quest after that power
that was in the Prince of Peace
even when that final betrayal
arrived in haste through that trusted friend!

I quest after that power
lasting only on the loin cloth
the Son of Man wore
as he gave up his ghost at the gallows!

Henry Victor 21.12.2003

An Immigrant’s Prayer!

I’m uprooted
disconnected from soil
waiting for you
the Master Gardner
to replant
or, instruct your assistant
to tenderly pot
that I may grow to bloom
and bring into being a fruit
or, at least
grow up just with leaves
to add a little green
to your garden that repair
brokenness of big and small
and announce your grandeur

Henry Victor 12.12.2003