I Saw The Old Man Cry by Ramakant Pande

I Saw The Old Man Cry

Beside the lake

near the duck pen

a year down

drifting by me

there he

rowing your boat

saw me

watching you

in desperate passion,

his lonely look.

In the library

above the duck pen

six months back

bent and absorbed

soaking up

volumes

in your sophomore

and I digging for more

digests for you

I saw him smile

as he dusted

the racks,

hope filling his eyes.

In the garden

overlooking the library

a month ago

that rainy day

you pelted 

the bunch of lily

on me

he heard you shout

your angst at me

pruning the hibiscus

he beamed

and I winked at him,

his faith reborn.

In the cafeteria

beside the garden

in the autumn chill

in late evening

I saw his face

contort as he saw you

an hour ago

when you shrieked

and jumped 

shouting yes I do

yes I do at me

turned his back

hiding his eyes

clearing the table.

I saw the old man cry,

tears washing away

all the sorrow.

..........Ramakant-Pande

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

This is debut novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen which is narrated in a neat and unique way as a confession by a spy. Highlighting the light and travails of the refugees the book is based on the aftermath of the USA misadventure in Vietnam and its consequences. It is also a double minded narration without any particular pro or anti american sentiment nor is it for or against Communism. The two minded spy sympathizes with both sides of almost everything. More then often the nameless narrator is caught, not between two opposing sides i.e. between black and white but between white and white. The book is astounding in its form and style too. Winner of Pulitzer, this book, presenting the perspective of Vietnam of 1950 to 1970's is definitely a must read.

And I Rose From Ruins: A Poem by Ramakant Pande

And I Rose From Ruins

I tried 

and the harder

I pushed away

to fight

to escape

clutches of

misery

the more

in a spider's web

of a quicksand

I got sucked

into the thorny

dark pit

pricking.

Wretched in me

tormented writhing

in agony

of regret of anxiety

broke

into shards

got annihilated

melting away

leaving nothing of it

of me

I surrendered.

With nothing 

remaining

outside,

the sublime

divine effulgence 

shone within

and I rose from ruins.

...... Ramakant Pande

Faith And Hope

Faith and Hope

Existence had reared

its head in me

but yet again

in its vain effort

of the need to

look at itself 

through me

failed.

I failed

as my mind

interfering

in the ego

of its analytics

and conclusions

interfered 

with the divine

escaping 

in the name 

of need for 

vocation- career.

It takes

but a lot of courage

to have unflinching

faith and hope

and effort

to steer 

the mind

out of 'Its' way.

...................................by Ramakant Pande