Ramayana and Other Poems

THE BIRTH Winds blew down from ranges lofty, Bearing icy tentacles, frosty. Rushing across plains vast, Threading wisps into a fabric of the past. Richly exuberant in its weft and weave, A tapestry golden, through a mystic sieve. An era hoary, whence values instilled, Molten steel into all beings distilled. Spoken words onto rocks etched, Weightier than life’s very breath fetched. Where moral fibre united rare, As multitudes through daily mores fared. Into this city northern was borne, An emperor, of pride and envy shorn. Resplendent was he, as the sun in heavens shone, Master of archery by target’s drone. Queens three to him wedded, Beauty and virtue to the brim, in them resided. For the heir elusive he pined, In surrender to the supreme divine. A sacrifice performed with righteous piety, From its fiery tongue, an ambrosial deity. The ambrosia celestial, into two divided, Queens elder, their portions halved, to the younger provided. The queen eldest bore the heir apparent, In joyful abandon, his cries rent. To the youngest queen, twins rare, Each loyal to his elder, shared. Glory resounded in a glow radiant, Dispelling gloom, in a rhythm ebullient. Cloudy ramparts tinged amber to the sun’s salute, To the scion of his line, by divine statute.