The Delicate Dancer Poem by Padmanabhan Ananth

She a good office mate
A young-n-bright advocate
Invited colleagues did Valli
To her unusual 'birthday party'

After tasty Indian snacks
Began the real 'smash'
She set on to perform
True Bharata Natyam

A Kalakshetra* disciple
Of Rukmanidevi Arundale^
She's indeed passionate
About this traditional art

The song a pious invocation
To Shiva**, the auspicious one
About a devotee's affection
Of this benevolent fearsome!

This classical Tamil dance form
Famed for its grace-n-precision

BHA-vam, the precise expressions
RA-gam, the melody mellifluous
THA-lam the rhythmic beats
Lent to this Natyam^^ their names

Dressed in bright-hued silks
Adorned with glittering jewels
Dance floor she was at
Enthusiastic to present

The introductions explained
The substance of this dance art
Her many a lissome movement
Kept the audience enthralled

Ever-changing expressions
Tender, cheer, anger, many more
Swirls, when changing character
Graceful sculpture-like poses

A brush this weekend evening
With this art, indeed satisfying.
- -
*Literally means 'Place of Art' in Indian languages.
^The founder of Kalakshetra, in Chennai, India.
**One of the Hindu Trinity who is the Destroyer.
^^Dance