Silk Routes

by Madathil Rajendran Nair



Silk routes of India converged On the South Indian city of Cochin Where brides demurred and glittered At a sprawling sari arcade Like lamps on a windless Diwali night Colors poured over them As did unwed salesgirls Attending on and draping them with passion Their hearts filled with dreams Of rainbow hues Of eligible men on the distant horizon With wedding garlands in their hands The sale should go on Season or no season Monsoon or no rain No matter who weds or remains unwed Insensitive remains Silk and fiber to youthful dreams Heart, emotions and passion Delighted stood the prospective bride A smile perched on her lips Busy moved the salesgirls around like bees With a Goddess sobbing in their hearts Silent like the unwed one of the Cape Lighted by a flickering lamp on a summer night As silk routes converged on Cochin Careless who did wed or who did weep

Image © Madathil Rajendran Nair

30-May-2014

More By : Madathil Rajendran Nair

Views: 1531 Comments: 10

Comments on this Poem

Immense thanks Rian, Ru, Kamal, Siva, Menon-ji, Haridas-ji, Neelalantan-ji, Vijay-ji and Abhishek for your appreciation. Vijay-ji, the lady squatting in the foreground in the picture is in fact the vivacious and exuberant Madam Beena Kannan of Seematti! Ubiquitously, she is the soul of the whole place due to whom people love to throng her showroom. She had graciously approved the writing of this poem. I thank her profusely.

madathilnair
04-Jun-2014 09:17 AM

Someone once said, "To be an artist, one must be a human passionately. To be a human, one must be an artist completely."

To recognize another's pain without being told it explicitly - that is a gift. And you have captured it beautifully.

Abhishek Nair
03-Jun-2014 12:52 PM

Very pithy. The yearning of the sales girls is palpable in your verse.

Neelakantan
01-Jun-2014 15:47 PM

Very light hearted poem. Enjoyed it. Hope Beena Kannan (Seemati) gets to read this:) She might think of giving some raise to her sales people.

Vijayakumaran Nair
01-Jun-2014 14:19 PM

The imagery of the sales girls contrasting (or was it a case of imbuement?) with the Virgin of the cape brings forth the deepest empathy of the poet! Carry on Rajettan we are waiting for more from you!

Haridas Warrier
01-Jun-2014 04:59 AM

Bride wants to present herself as beautiful on marriage venue. Sales Girls want the costliest to be sold to bride so that their commission will increase and give a chance to afford purchasing such a costly sari so that they also will look grand on their marriage venue. good description

Ramdas Menon
31-May-2014 12:51 PM

Nice one Rajetta!!

Siva Ramaswami
31-May-2014 12:11 PM

Nice one. Offbeat too :)

Kamal
31-May-2014 12:02 PM

excellent..

Rupradha
31-May-2014 04:12 AM

Marvellous, yet poignant!

Rian John
30-May-2014 19:39 PM