Sunday, March 17, 2013

Living For The Rings~





Some are lucky like me-
Orphaned, yet speckled
Like loose stones
Kicked up
To a land
Where we've humor
perpetually etched on our faces
Laughter is warm
But, 
ours is animated and mocking
 filled with megalomania-
Night brings us to the center-stage
every evening; a doorbell chimes
Amid shouts and laughter 
 the curtain rises
 a spotlight swivels to illuminate;
and riding a bicycle upside down,
 We arrive...on a vast stage
Wide-eyed, disbelieving stares
thrust themselves on us
They steer loneliness, for sometime, at least
Ah, that’s the best side-

Laughing comes easy
When we see a crowd bristling with energy
Though...
they seem determined, not to glance beyond
The site of entertaining-
Suits us...
The tragedies of our lives
must not scatter everywhere
Staging shows-- 
Calling out, laughing, singing maniacally
Put the pedal to our appetite
How can the ewer of our life be less profound?
...hence, 
the shows must 
go on….
Uninterrupted-
In the world of sounds, senses,
emotions, colors, tunes…
With bright red chins n nose,
Baggy trousers and patch-worked coat
We, the thumb-sized, rib-tickling jokers
MUST live on for the Rings.
.and vanish by morning.



60 comments:

  1. Beautiful meaning filled poetry Panchali Ma'am!Couldn't have been better!:)

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  2. A sympathetic but no-nonsense look into the lives of clowns. Very well said! An excellent response to the prompt, Panchali.
    K

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    1. Thanks Kay, for the kind compliments. You made my day!!:)

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  3. Panchali, you really got inside the mind of a clown here. And why they do what they do. You captured the sad, loneliness of their lives, the side they keep to themselves, the part few in the audience would guess or even wish to know.

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    1. Thanks a ton, Mary for your words of encouragement. You are so kind... :))

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  4. reminds me of Mera Naam Joker...Kal khel mein, hum ho na ho...

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    1. Precisely Abin....that red heart was in my mind as I was writing this :)I love that song!! Thanks a bunch!:)

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  5. I LOVE this - this is the essence of the clown - tragedies tamped down, living for the rings........a fantastic write!

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    1. Thanks a lot,Sherry for that stupendous comment....means a lot:)

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  6. You've captured the loneliness and sadness behind much humour perfectly.

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    1. Thank you for your visit and supportive comments, Anthony!

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  7. Lovely write, Panchali. You describe so well the hidden sadness behind the painted smile. Beautiful piece.

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    1. Wow...coming from you, it means a lot, Lisa. Look forward to reading a lot of your works, always a delight..:) Thank you.

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  8. good write on our clown friends!

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    1. Thanks for the compliments, Old Ollie!! Great having you here...welcome to my space:)

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  9. "Suits us...
    The tragedies of our lives
    must not scatter everywhere
    Staging shows--
    Calling out, laughing, singing maniacally
    Put the pedal to our appetite
    How can the ewer of our life be less profound?"

    You have me thinking of runaway children, those that don't run away, and also me. I cannot really explain why I have tears in my eyes, but I do. Thank you.

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    1. Deeply appreciative of your visit and comments, Susan.I'm sorry for the tears ...Please cheer up!!:))
      Thanks a bunch!

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  10. Ma'am there is nothing I can say that can do justice to the sheer masterpiece you have created here. I have read a lot of your poems, but this one had the rawest emotions - pain, loneliness, being mocked and mocking the world in return. Clowns are scary, mostly because they are different, and mysterious in their life outside the Ring, and the unknown always inspires fear in us.

    Moving, poignant and deeply emotional.

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    1. Thank you, Mixi for your supportive comments. Yes, clowns are mysterious...but, I always wonder--- How come little kids love clowns white older people are scared of them? Strange!Grateful for your visit and your appreciation.:)))

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  11. I like the way you took the point of view of the clown here. The emotion here is well done.

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    1. Grateful for your visit and your appreciation, Peggy!! Thanks a lot!

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  12. Panchali,I have no words to comment. The poem is simply marvellous, unique and outstanding..It is resplendent with emotions and stark reality. .Very moving, soulful and touchy.loved reading it.

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    1. Usha!!! I love it that you loved it... it inspires me to write more... thanks for the encouragement, my friend!! :)))

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  13. I definitely see clowns, as you put it, 'animated and mocking'...and not in an enjoyable entertaining sort of way. Great job with this capture of them Panchali!

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    1. Your comment has pleased me immensely, Poet...Many thanks!! :)))

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  14. How very touching and soulful. This is a perfect masterpiece, Panchali Ma'am, loved it's resonance to the chore. Absolutely brilliant!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed, Arti!!:)Thanks for the appreciation...means a lot to me :)))

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  15. Replies
    1. It had to have a lot of emotions--that was the challenge!! Thans Rajesh for reading this tear-jerker!:D

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  16. This is really beautiful ... somewhere it reminded me of the movie "Mera Naam Joker" ... very poignant piece !!!

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    1. You appreciative comment has pleased me immensely, Speck...Thanks a ton :)))

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  17. Yes the pathos of Jeena yahan marna yahan plays in the background while reading this beautiful poem

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    1. Deepak....It was actually playing in my mind...ah, that movie brought around the clowns' emotions so well...:)) Thanks a lot for your kind words...:)

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  18. Poignant!!
    You've beautifully captured the other side of what they go through...So much pain and tragedy in their lives!

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    1. Valli...I am so glad you liked the poem. Coming from a poet---it means so much! Thanks for the appreciation... :)))

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  19. 'tragedies of our lives must not scatter every where'..........dignity of pain.They always smile so broadly so that eyes are crinkled and the sadness,the blankness looming in the eyes are arrested there only.
    A very dignified tribute .....
    namita

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    1. Namita!!I am so pleased....! :)))) Thank you for the compliment... glad you liked the poem... and I so loved your metaphorical comment:)))) Yea...and it's incredible how the horrendous'blankness' frightens the minds!!
      Thanks so much re....

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  20. lovely lovely....!!! our tragedies should not spill over..such is the pain and such is the enormous amount of courage they show...exemplary! reminded of a song sung by Lucky Ali in one of his albums, not able to recall the words now...

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    1. Akila...wow!! I am so pleased you liked this poem. Thanks... :))) I am just trying to remember the song, am also not able to recall...:(( Shall google and find out soon:)
      Many thanks!!

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  21. nice...
    I've always appreciated RK's movie on this same subject...
    Keep Rhyming...
    Cheers :)

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    1. Anunoy...so have I!!:)) And what a sad life it has portrayed...Thanks...a lot!!

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  22. I have seen those clowns and street performers ~ You made them come alive with their laughter and smiles ~ Well written share ~

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    1. Grace..I am glad, the poem didn't disappoint you. Honestly, I am mighty pleased!!Thanks a lot!!:))

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  23. Wonderful emotions as always. thoroughly enjoyed.

    Travel India

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    1. Vishal...I am so pleased you enjoyed reading this. Thanks... :)))

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  24. Your trade mark again--getting into the skin of the person!!The pain & pathos of a joker.

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    1. Indu...Thank you for reading my poem :) I love your comments!:))

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  25. Entering another and knowing the Rings in which they play, is an art.
    Nicely done -- in all its complexity.

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    1. Sabio, Thanks a ton for that awesome compliment. You made my day!! Hope to see you more on these pages..:)

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  26. ... and vanish by morning... those elusive clowns! Perhaps this swift and superficial life is exactly what some souls require.

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    1. Kim, you have beautifully wrapped it up. What you say is so true. For a clown, it is an obsessive and frantic perception of feelings which forces him to act like that: the clown lives in empathy...and exactly that's what probably he wants!!:)
      Thanks so much for the meaningful comment. Do visit again please.
      Many thanks!!

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  27. Very nicely done. A great take on the prompt.

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  28. It couldn't be better than this and couldn't be from anybody but you.

    So full of pathos and misery of not getting recognized beyond the mask. Beautiful is the word for it.

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  29. I can see the pain through the lines...and you summed it up so well!!

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