Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar Poems

Life energy, unlike other energy,
Has an unrelenting drive to survive
With a desire to beget children.
Life energy is not formed from other energy.
...

She loves her child as it clings to her.
He loves his wife as she leans on him.
Clinging and leaning bring about love.
The empowered women lean no more.
...

Siblings that are rivals
And neighbours that are cross
Would unite in the hours
Of crises or grief; mind.
...

Day is not cross with Night
As Day thinks Night follows
Because Day goes out
And not that Day goes out
...

Ancient literary works are interpreted
By many and translated by many.
An interpretation is a deviation.
A translation is a deviation.
...

Worships and rituals are recreations.
Masses and lectures are entertainments.
No reform takes place from these indulgences.
Yet we beam the God is in our favour.
...

A woman nearby, man has an itch
To reach her and get a hold on her
As a vine reaches a stake nearby.
Man and vine dangle without a stake.
...

Momentary and temporary
Is the taste of the food that we eat.
The taste cannot be resurrected.
Yet we go for rich food with an effort.
...

Either sing a song or listen to one.
In music a singer forgets himself
And the listeners too forget themselves.
Without prejudices they immerse in bliss.
...

A vast funeral he fetched for himself.
He didn't and couldn't know about it.
Yet he worked for it by sheer service
So that his kids would be proud of his death.
...