* * *
The translated Telugu version: ప్రియ శరణార్థీ! నా జీవితం ఇలా నడవనీ..
This poem appeared originally in The Saaranga Magazine HERE.
*
It’s not too unthinkable,
sipping licorice tea in my cardigan,
And day dreaming of a life of civil liberties.
Out of the window,
I see stars coming out from under your sky,
But on ground, I don’t see the tears on your muddy faces.
I’ve only seen your life
through images in those makeshift towns,
Tell me, why is that the rain makes you cry harder?
With an inexhaustible supply of water,
I wash my roses in the sink watching for thorns,
While you will hedge those fences that’ll rip into your flesh.
My kids have all grown,
abandoning these slides in the backyard,
But do you see dusty carcasses of merry-go-rounds left behind midplay?
Politics aside,
I’m grateful I’m here,
Yet terribly guilty that you are still there.
Where you must be hunting
for bread for your family while fleeing homes for tents,
I am frivolous enough to dip the artisan chip into a bowl of guacamole.
Tonight, I’ll take pills to catch a wink,
while you find yourself undead,
After a night of rockets marching on your ear drums.
*
@renaeffendiphoto: Refugees huddled in the fields of Idomeni a small Greek town
*
Tomorrow,
I might go fishing in the waters
That will swallow you in the midnight storm as you cross the seas.
While you’ve been busy
walking to the end of the earth for a roof,
My time has been excessively occupied too.
“Where you headed?”
you might ask,
But until I fall off this life’s treadmill, I can’t stop to answer.
Sometimes, when I’ve felt desolately lonely,
I’ve paused to look for God,
to see if I can be loud enough across oceans for you to hear my love.
Just like you,
I worry about the plight of my children,
However, mostly behind their roaring new wheels.
When society tries to inspire me
to fight for your rights,
I silence its voice by claiming, “Charity begins at home”.
You might be dying to live in peace,
but I can offer my love,
Only just as much as I have for the stranger on the street.
So, let me dampen your spirit
that we will be friends,
When you call on me, I might act like I’ve never fought for your cause.
Because,
I am one and all thousands of you,
Are no one to me.
Because,
I am one and all thousands of you,
Are no one to me.
* * *
About The Article Author:
Our mission with FutureSTRONG Academy – to grow children who respect themselves, their time and their capabilities in a world where distractions are just a click or a swipe away.
I see myself as an advocate for bringing social, emotional and character development to families, schools and communities. I never want to let this idea out of my sight – Our children are not just GPAs. I’m a Writer and a Certified Master Coach in NLP and CBT. Until 2017, I was also a Big Data Scientist. In December of 2044, I hope to win the Nobel. Namasté.
Write to me or call me. Tell me what support from me looks like.
Rachana Nadella-Somayajula,
Program Director & Essential Life Skills Coach for Kids and Busy Parents
Poetry
Still Standing, Still Standing.. – A Poem Read By Rachana
* https://youtu.be/Z_09kRBp-_Q * Want To Listen To The Article Instead? * The below is a first person account of a village tree who lost the friendship of a small boy to the big charm of the city.. * At day break, I...
I’m Mortal – A Poem
* The embers remind me of my life, The logs with their withered skin, Are turning into ash as I watch. The same crackling noisesThat my fat will make, When I will burn along the Ganga. Most people want to live a 100 yearsYet, not know what to do on a lazy...
My India By Swami Paramahamsa Yogananda
* Not where the musk of happiness blows,Not where darkness and fears never tread;Not in the homes of perpetual smiles,Nor in the heaven of a land of prosperityWould I be bornIf I must put on mortal garb once more. Dread famine may prowl and tear my...
The Complete List Of Essays, Fiction And Poetry By Rachana
Aut Viam Inveniam Aut Faciam I will either find a way, or make one. Questions, just ask! Text or Call: 678.310.5025 | Email: info@futurestrongacademy.com Bringing a Group? Email us for a special price!
Love Made Me Do It
* As you slip and fall, my thoughts are along with you atop the death train – la bestia. A smiling young man you were, one second ago,the next – a limp body in the overgrown unworn path.A heatstroke at 16 has sent you home sooner than you wished for. But is any...
YDDO – You Don’t Die Once; A Poem On Redemption
* YDDO – You Don’t Die Once A Poem On Redemption Unless you're a mid-lifer like me,This poem ain't gonna hold your attention. Now let's begin.Yes, it is possible. Yes, I said it's possible to press resetMany times over. Seek your truth every new...
12 Ways To Write A Great Poem, And How To Inspire Your Reader To Action
* Great Ways To Write A Poem: 1. A great poem must inspire every reader to act.2. It should feel relevant, and the concept must have universal appeal.3. It’s a piece of art, so show your uniqueness with it.4. Life’s already a huge puzzle, so don’t lead your...
On How To Write. Writing Hacks, Compelling Story Telling And Essays On Life
On How To Write. “To me, a short story is a conversation between writer and reader, since only the writer can speak, she must take care to respect the reader, to avoid telling him what to think, to say as little as possible and imply the rest with metaphor,...
Many Predicaments In Life. Writing Poetry Cannot Be One.
Poetry “How do one see the big picture and hold the world’s pain, and at the same time see all of the bright edges of joy? I think that’s at the center of my question.”~ Poet Ada Limón Questions, just ask! Text or Call: 678.310.5025 | Email:...
Dervish Dances, Rumi’s Poetry And The Land Of Communal Ethos. Istanbul. {Video}
* https://youtu.be/rUlKMy-OSJc * Want To Listen To The Article Instead? * Yesterday I was clever, I wanted to change the world. Today I’m wiser, so I’m changing myself. – Rumi * The steep roads of old town Sultanahmet-Sirkeci...
Best Book Recommendations And Reviews For Adults Who Are Eager To Thrive
* "I write for kids, and kids tend to be optimists. Even when the book has a dark theme, it's always through the eyes of a fictional hero, a young person with integrity, someone a reader can identify with and in turn find a kind of integrity and power in...
In the Age of Dank Memes, Why Read Poetry?
* Just A String Of Words? A good poem demands the dignity to be understood. History repeats in its resounding words. Repetition is a poem's strongest flavors. Poems are words with life because they're current and most urgent with their message to humanity. Yet,...
Questions, just ask!
Text or Call: 678.310.5025 | Email: info@futurestrongacademy.com
Bringing a Group? Email us for a special price!
Rachu I love to hear from you the depth of the poem!!
Thank you Seshaunty, by juxtaposing my life and the lives of many refugees who don’t have homes, I wanted to express the helplessness I feel for them and the complacency I feel about my own life.