BEST WISHES FOR ALL MY POET FRIENDS FOR 2020 !
May the coming New Year bring forth goodwill, happiness,
and good cheer!
May the Members of this great Hello Poetry site,
Learn to reciprocate by reading poems of other Members
posted here from time to time!
Even though I mostly compose non-fictional Books in verses
these days,
I never forget to read the verses of my good old Hello Poetry
Friends!
BEST WISHES FOR 2020 ALWAYS!
                                                              -Raj Nandy, New Delhi.

ON BLESSINGS OF OLD AGE !
FEW POETIC REFLECTIONS  ON OLD AGE
Dear Poet Friends, after a long break, I have composed a few lines as a very senior citizen and a lover of poetry. If you like the same, kindly Re-post this Poem for wider circulation. Thanks and best wishes, - Raj Nandy of New Delhi.

            ON BLESSINGS OF OLD AGE!
From the impressionable age of my childhood days,
I have finally arrived at the vulnerable period of old age!
It has been often been said that old age is that period of life,  
When all bad habits are given up on doctor’s advice,
And yet you don’t feel all that good while you survive!
Yet I do try to take some solace from Robert Browning’s poem
‘Rabbi Ben Ezra’ which says;-
‘’Grow old along with me!
  For the best is yet to be,
  The last of life, for which the first was made.’’

Despite my grey hairs and wrinkled face,
With creaking joints and scattered aches and pains,
‘’Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
  For every tatter in its mortal dress’’,
In thanks giving to the Lord and sings his praise;
As I recall WB Yeats’ ‘Sailing Byzantium’, - that
lovely poem from my college days.

As our biological clock continues to tick incessantly,
Getting older becomes compulsory.
But becoming Wiser in wrinkled years remains optional,
A choice our free will has the opportunity to make!
I recall what Agatha Christie had once said,
That an archaeologist is the best husband a woman can get,
For the older she gets, the more interested in her he
becomes;
With due respect to our women whose age is impolite
not ask.
Here I recall what the Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Frost
had once said,
That a diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman’s
birthday and not her age.

I recall the observation of Sartre the famous French philosopher
who had said,
That more sand that escapes from the hourglass of our life,
The clearer we should see through it as a blessing of time!
It is true that we live in deeds, not in years; in thoughts, not breaths;
In feelings, not in figures on a dial, - as James Bailey had said.
I finally conclude by quoting the first stanza from ‘Beautiful Old Age’  by DH Lawrence;
‘’It ought to be lovely to be old
  To be full of the peace that comes of experience
  And wrinkled ripe fulfilment.’’
                                                   ­  -Raj Nandy of New Delhi.

Written by
RAJ NANDY  NEW DELHI

FEW POETIC REFLECTIONS  ON OLD AGE
Dear Poet Friends, after a long break, I have composed a few lines as a very senior citizen and a lover of poetry. If you like the same, kindly Re-post this poem for wider circulation. Thanks and best wishes, - Raj Nandy of New Delhi.
  
It has been often been said that old age is that period of life,  
When all bad habits are given up on doctor’s advice,
And yet you don’t feel all that good while you survive!
Yet I do try to take some solace from Robert Browning’s poem
‘Rabbi Ben Ezra’ which says;-
‘’Grow old along with me!
  For the best is yet to be,
  The last of life, for which the first was made.’’

Despite my grey hairs and wrinkled face,
With creaking joints and scattered aches and pains,
‘’Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
  For every tatter in its mortal dress’’,
In thanks giving to the Lord and sings his praise;
As I recall WB Yeats’ ‘Sailing Byzantium’, - that
lovely poem from my college days.

As our biological clock continues to tick incessantly,
Getting older becomes compulsory.
But becoming Wiser in wrinkled years remains optional,
A choice our free will has the opportunity to make!
I recall what Agatha Christie had once said,
That an archaeologist is the best husband a woman can get,
For the older she gets, the more interested in her he
becomes;
With due respect to our women whose age is impolite
not ask.
Here I recall what the Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Frost
had once said,
That a diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman’s
birthday and not her age.

I recall the observation of Sartre the famous French philosopher
who had said,
That more sand that escapes from the hourglass of our life,
The clearer we should see through it as a blessing of time!
It is true that we live in deeds, not in years; in thoughts, not breaths;
In feelings, not in figures on a dial, - as James Bailey had said.
I finally conclude by quoting the first stanza from ‘Beautiful Old Age’  by DH Lawrence;
‘’It ought to be lovely to be old
  To be full of the peace that comes of experience
  And wrinkled ripe fulfilment.’’
                                                   ­  -Raj Nandy of New Delhi.

My poet friend John Stevens was born on this great day,
While I wish John Many Happy Returns of 04th July today,
I wish the people of America - A Happy Independence Day!
Self and John are both born in the year 1943.
Though separated by land and sea, -
We both love to read and write poetry!

Presently I am composing in verse the 'Story of the Blues',
Which I hope to post on this Site this month end, hoping it
will be liked by you!
Unfortunately, I am unable to post the maps and the
photographs on this Poetry Site.
Nonetheless I do hope you will like my well researched
poem about the Blues, when posted on this Site!
BEST WISHES FOR JOHN STEVENS ON THIS DAY,
MAY MANY MORE BIRTHDAYS COME ON HIS WAY!
GOD BLESS!                   - Raj Nandy, New Delhi, 04 July 2019

Dear Poet Friends, I had composed this short poem almost a decade ago, and had posted it on 'Boloji.com' poetry site, where it was declared as the best poem of the week. Hope you like the same. If you like it kindly re-post this poem! Thanks, -Raj.  

        NOT MY CHOOSING !
I had existed beyond time and space,
In a dimension which was divine,
Till You brought me here,
And said this World was mine!

With passing of each year,
I get closer to Thee,
For it is You who have brought me here,
It is You, who must set me free!

I never came of my own choosing,
You only decided my fate,
And placed my soul within
This skeletal human frame !

Now with the advancing years,
My soul yearns to be free.
For You have brought me here,
It is You, who must set me free!
                                - Raj Nandy, a very senior citizen of New Delhi.

Well this is a request, & not a poem! Kindly do read my poem-
'A BRIGHT STAR OVER BETHLEHEM'- composed for this special occasion of CHRISTMAS,  & do re-post the same if you happen to like it ! Thanks & best wishes, - Raj New Delhi, 25 Dec 2018.

Dedicated to all my Poet Friend, as I wish them a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year - 2019 ! Kindly read the footnotes too. If you like it, do re-post this poem for wider circulation please! Thank You, - Raj

A BRIGHT STAR OVER BETHLEHEM !
             * By Raj Nandy
“We three kings of Orient are,
  Bearing gifts we travel afar;
  Field and fountain, moor and mountain, -
  Following the yonder star ! “
                               - A Christmas Carol.

Named Casper, Melchior, and Balthasar, - @
The Three Wise Men came from the East,
Travelling west guided by a Bright Star,
To seek out the child born under this lucky
Star ;
And to pay their homage and before him kneel,
For He was to become the Savior and King !
They brought Him precious gifts of Gold,
Frankincense, and Myrrh, -
Which were also symbolic gifts by far!
Precious Gold has been a gift for royalty always,
For the baby Jesus was to become the 'uncrowned
King' one day!
Frankincense as a soothing perfume was really
good ,
Which also symbolised His future priesthood !
Myrrh as an embalming ointment was being used,
By the ancient Egyptians as a preserving perfume ! #
This gift of Myrrh was like a breath of new life -
in the prevailing gloom;
While symbolising His sorrowing, suffering
and crucifixion;
And leading to His final resurrection, -
To save mankind from their sinful affliction!

So Friends, when you celebrate Christmas this
year,
Let us with love bring hope and good cheer!
And help to wipe out those sorrowing tears, -
By giving gifts to those destitute children
and bless,
Since we generally tend to forget them always!
And let our gifts become a true symbol, -
Of His kindness and love let them reflect and
resemble!
……………………………………………………………….......................
NOT­ES : - @ = One 8th Century AD Manuscript says that these Three Wise Men were also astrologers, who had known about the Prophecy of the birth of Jesus who was to be the King of the Jews! They were guided by a Bright Star which had shone over the town of Bethlehem in Judea, ruled by the mad King Herod! Their three symbolic Gifts signified the King, the Priest, and the Savior of Mankind respectively! From the ‘Gospel of Matthews’ we learn that King Herod had told them to inform him about the Baby’s location! But since they had been forewarned by a dream, they returned by a different route! So Herod gave orders to **** all children 2 years and below, fearing this ‘King of the Jews’ will one day take over his throne !!
#MYRRH = was being used by the Egyptians during the 5th century BC, which they had obtained from Africa. It was used in incense, in perfumes, & in holy ointments; mostly for embalming , - signifying Jesus was to die for mankind ! Thanks for reading, – Raj.
           *ALL COPY RIGHTS WITH THE AUTHOR ONLY
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