Raj Arumugam Poems

After the taunting
the creature is beaten deep into the cave where
it is dark and the stalactites do not shine;
there are the sounds of water
...

The polite are efficient;
the polite are cruel
with their cold and distant manner
smooth non-committal words
...

I called my friend
and
after many calls between which we maintained
long silences,
...

Have you heard from him?
someone asks, as they sit round the table.
They shake their heads and one of them
says softly,
...

If this goes on I wonder
what shall become of me
I shall become Mr Melancholic, possibly.
Head down, shoe laces loose, part collar in
...

Children will weather it out
in the sun or rain;
they will still smile
in the harsh sun or heavy rain.
...

Caw, Caw, Caw, Caw,
they go.
Waking us up to a new dawn:
Caw, Caw, Caw, Caw
...

The newspapers and our
ubiquitous and ever-ready
self-appointed well-meaning
advisors warn us.
...

The heat's down from 34 C to below 30 C
and my daughter declares:
It's autumn.
A day of dark clouds and cool air
...

There's more advice again from kindly souls
who are out to ensure we go about properly in seeking a job:
You've got to be pushy in this country;
otherwise they'll think you're slack.
...