A. K. Ramanujan Poems

In Madurai,
city of temples and poets,
who sang of cities and temples,
every summer
...

Lord of new arrivals
lovers and rivals:
arrive
at once with cockfight and banner—
...

Images consult
one
another,
...

When she left me
after lunch,I read
for a while.
...

Composed as I am, like others,
of elements on certain well-known lists,
father's seed and mother's egg
...

Sky-man in a manhole
with astronomy for dream,
astrology for nightmare;
...

Yet like grandfather
I bathe before the village crow

the dry chlorine water
my only Ganges
...

Now tidy your house,
dust especially your living room
and do not forget to name
all your children.
...

It must come as leaves
to a tree
or not at all
...