Hema Ravi (Towards Visibility)

Hema Ravi

DEFACING, DISTORTING, DISRESPECTING

 

Vandalizing monuments by scratching

upon them with knives and sharp tools

Demolishing distinct relics of a bygone era

that survived storms in stoic silence

Such symbols of a glorious age - Preserve.

 

Engraving initials on trees – tree tattoos!

The vulnerable tree manages to heal around

the scratches, compartmentalizing the wound

Tattoo ‘scars’ remain for life 

Harbingers of verdant earth – Conserve.

 

Altering the ecosystems of lesser life forms -

organisms thrive with ‘survival instinct’

Man’s supremacy exhibits self-destruction

Coexistence - the organic approach to progress

As advocates of a better world – Nurture.

 

 

ENDLESS GLOOM

 

The anniversary that’s brought nothing to cherish

In large numbers, innocents continue to perish

Relentless torment: all peace talks for a toss

Plenitude of weapons destroying and devastating

Who will emerge victorious?

 

For ruthless, murderous, audacious, ambitious

acts, ruler(s) go down in history as ‘The Great!’

Virus of the mind spreads animosity –

the monstrous predator that permeates all beings

Will such a victory ever be glorious?

 

“Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare”

    The lone and level sands stretch far away...” *

Can such conquest be anything but murderous?

 

(*Lines from Ozymandias - P. B. Shelley)  

 

A writer by passion, Hema Ravi has had a brief stint in the Central Government, as a teacher of English and Hindi for over two decades and is currently a freelancer for IELTS and Communicative English. She is a poet, author, reviewer, editor, event organizer, independent researcher, and resource person for language development courses. Her articles and poems have been published in print and online journals. She is the author of The Cuckoo Sings Again (a collection of short stories) Everyday English, Write Right Handwriting Series 1,2,3 and  co-author of Sing Along Indian Rhymes’ and Everyday Hindi. As the Secretary of the Chennai Poets’ Circle, Chennai, and editor of Efflorescence, she empowers amateur writers to unleash their creative potential efficiently. She coordinates and organizes international poetry seminars and panel discussions as Secretary of Connecting Across Borders. As a ‘life-long learner’ and ‘seeker’ she embraces life and enjoys the roller-coaster ride with gratitude.

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Setu, September 2023 :: Towards Visibility