Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar Poems

The affinity that exists
Between one and one’s son’s children
Would be a loosely made one
As their mother is a different blood.
...

The shape of value changes
But will remain the value.
We get rid of what we got
One after the other in life.
...

Man proposes and chance disposes.
One’s progress is bound by chance
And by one’s innate weakness as well.
Your efforts are not the sole cause; pride not.
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She is seventy; so am I; both live.
She is a widow and I am still virulent.
I imagine seeing her in a function
Where she is supposed to come but hasn’t,
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Women show themselves more tempting.
Men tender themselves more starving.
They stumble on consensual sex.
She books him for sexual harassment.
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A snake is killed for being a threat.
A rat is killed for being a menace.
A goat is killed for being a prey.
Anyone is killed by an accident.
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Is the day past
An addition to,
Or a deduction
From, your life?
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Parents are not relatives.
Wife is not a relative
Children are not relatives
They are your stock or a part.
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I own gain and loss of my firm.
My servants to it are immune.
Servants terminated, remains
The residue only with me.
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I make friends from contacts
And pick foes from those friends.
My foes are on increase
In proportion to friends.
...