"tabla" poems
Alila syang sakal
Tila nasa hawlang nasa labas ng sinapupunan
Naghihikahos sya
Humihingi ng tulong.
Tinawag ko si Tatay
Pagkat ako'y manikin
Wala sa ulirat
Habang sya'y nasa piit ni Kamatayan.
Pilit syang pumipiglas
Sa pira-pirasong tabla
Nakaririndi ang tinig
Hindi marunong kumalma.
Tayo'y nilalang na may isip
May katinuan
Hindi kailangang pumiglas
At panay ang laban.
Minsan, kahinaa'y malalasap
Ba't hindi huminto?
Hindi ito pagsuko, kaibigan
Ito'y paghihintay
Paghihithit ng lakas
Na kahit saglit
Ang buhay ay mahingahang muli.
Jul 10, 2014
Jul 10, 2014 at 11:07 AM UTC
Sa malayong baryo ng lalawigan ng Antigo, ng bayan ng San Arden
Nakatira kapiling ng ama
Sa murang edad, sanay magtrabaho
Magpukpok ng pako sa tabla
Sapagkat naulila sa inang nagluwal
Ikinapahamak ang matagal na pagpapakasakit
upang mailabas lang kapagdaka
bilang anak niya
sa kamalig ng kanyang ama
Kinalong ng lolo
Mga kamag-anak ay humingi ng saklolo
Bumugalwak ang dugo sa patadyong
May pag-asa pa bang mailigtas
kung dadalhin pa sa bayan nang gamutin ng pantas
Sa daraanan sa palayan, kay lakas ng ulan
Pumapagaspas ang dahon ng palay
Kakaunti lang ang hininga sa di magkamayaw na hangin
Talagang binawian na
Nautas ang ilaw ng pamilya
Sapagkat iisa lang ang bunso't panganay
Kailangan sundin ang utos at patnubay
Kung nabagot sa kahihintay,
sa pag-uwi may sasalubong-
hampas ng latigo na maglalatay
Jan 4, 2019
Jan 4, 2019 at 4:58 PM UTC
I dated two robots yesterdays
Both were programmed to service me well
We did things
In the same
good old
learned order
of doing things
And after sunset
we kissed
at the beach
With one -
our feet touching
With the other -
our view inviting
the rush of salty waves
Alas
Both robots could suddenly
not speak
One even bluffed
he had a virus in throat
AI intelligence?!
jaa ha ha
The other was hanging just with
With variations of
what do you feels
Tell me your fantasy s
‘Don't think
tell me whatever comes first’ s
And
I believe
And
I say
But
Mine is what he can't understand
His’ is
I think a drink on the beach
But unfortunately I don't drink
Using coconut biotica only
These days
Ahhahhaa
...
While they chatted so well!
Without any error of a word to spell!
…
I dated two robots yesterday
That sighed only to say
I can't believe I am holding yous
How much I missed yous
Hugging robots
Vibrating robots
Robots with small mouth and twister tongue
Ready to penetrate into mine at a slightest chance of an opening
A disguised disgust of my sincere failure
not towards the robot but myself
Hiding you still under my palate
from where the soma of your love drips
Now as if forcefully been replaced
to a taste of this preprogrammed chatalike
Have they lost their voice because of my best dress
or maybe the fantasy of the sandy bikini
which they will never see
in the dark wherein
Both hiding their face
But I see
By my loose body parts
Maybe a lookalike
But I ain't no robot
Oh my sandy bikini
Oh Chosen so carefully
To rejuvenate their fantasy
a different pattern for each-
yes. I do take care of that!
Stays now
as an Everly Brothers’ dream
In my mind only
But
My ‘okey ‘ is an ensuring
‘yes yes’ the Indian way
Of course
They did their best
Seriously
Thus
A big CHAPEAU
For the zest
That obviously still can break china hearts
I took it as a test
To get to know me better
Let me be broken through your dream
Let me cry and shake and perceive an angry cloudy color world
let my remains of china burst
I dated two robots yesterdays
while expecting for a man
Thankfully though
these are yesterdays
Today I met a true man
A gypsy
We will date sometime
Play tabla and darbuka
Drink dance and sing
And sleep
To salute the sun
early in the morning
At the beach
Jan 17, 2016
Jan 17, 2016 at 2:58 AM UTC
Against layers of western pop and soulful jazz,
I find myself yearning for the sound
of traditional music
These ears know well
the tune that reminds them of home.
My blood dances
to the thumping of the tabla,
the melodious clash of castanets
and plucking of strings on leathered guitars.
Traditional music is the voice
of my silenced ancestors;
and the treasure that is the legacy
they have left behind for us.
Each night I will remind myself
of the beauty of Algeria
and the sound that vibrates its fertile soil
and resonates in my heart.
Reaching out to hold the hands
of those who came before me;
we stand united by the melody
of our anthem.
May 17, 2014
May 17, 2014 at 3:18 PM UTC
Flavored hukkas are passed around,
Alcohol and paan bring the mehfil alive,
The Ustad ji sits down and flexes his fingers,
He knows he’ll be working all night.
Dha dhin dhin dha, dha dhin dhin dha
Na tin tin ta
Ta dhin dhin dha,
Move the Ustad ji’s fingers on the tabla.
While with a veil on her face,
And feet dipped in and henna-colored,
Lips in cheap red lipstick covered,
She unfalteringly, gracefully enters.
Her steps are matched by the chhan chhan
of the ghungroos tied around her ankles so slender.
Eyes set on her, feast on her youth,
Just right for the taste of all her customers.
Bejeweled hands placed on waist,
She stands at the centre of attention,
She lifts a foot, readies to dance,
And begins the nightly convention.
Skillfully, perfectly, sensuously move
Feet well-trained since childhood days,
Harmonizing with the timbre
That the Ustad ji creates.
Tin tin na dhin na dhin na
On the tabla, experienced fingers beat.
Chhan chhan chhan chhan,
She dances, repeating the rhythm with her feet.
Metal bells strike against one another
And chhan chhan chhan-a chhan she goes,
Making breaths prance and jump,
As she strikes on the ground her heels and toes.
Then suddenly she stops and gasps,
Over disgruntled, impatient groans she tries
to hear the sound that flows in, only to her ears.
Several rooms away, a baby cries.
Naach! A voice booms,
Arey naach! More join in.
A glass of wine is shattered by an irritated one.
But she stands still, clutching her chest, frozen.
One sways up to where she stands,
For the veil covering her face, his hands dive.
He uncovers her, but is blinded by the sight of her beauty
And her tears that fill her kajal-smeared eyes.
She’s shaken back to reality as she looks all around.
Her sparkling pall is off her face.
She sees all those drunk men who’ve paid to watch her dance.
She knows she has to make the sound of the cries fade away.
So she stomps her feet on the ground till it hurts.
Hair flying out of braid, bangles clanging,
Anguish replaces her innocent loveliness,
The music in the air is now shrill, jarring.
Her steps match with the tabla’s rhythm no more.
But she dances, planting her feet so hard they weep.
She silences every sound with the noise of her ghungroos,
Praying that the night will lull her wailing son to sleep.
Jun 22, 2012
Jun 22, 2012 at 1:11 PM UTC
Mystic percussive
sounds drifting
as
bare hands
pound the tabla
increasing rapidly
with reckless abandon
the triumphant frenzy
signifies
a jubilant freedom
Jan 27, 2012
Jan 27, 2012 at 7:20 AM UTC
.
Silver charms on an anklet ******
as her foot stamps down once,
crossed dainty in front of the other,
and her hands start a slow ascent.
From hips up into the air
in the nonchalant action of the flame,
arcing a half circle about her waist
she turns to face the assembled crowd.
A tabla starts a sleepy beat
and the sitar player awakens,
or returns from a meditation,
readying himself for his introduction,
to blend a melody of the Moon
with the woven movements of dance.
The beat increases and four taps
signal a change in the rhythm.
The following note is punctuated
by the tinkling of the charms
and the first strum of the sitar,
sending music to the starry sky.
And her hips sway in gentle waves
as her hands mimic the lotus flower
in cups of dreams above her head,
and the anklets jangle a soothing sound.
The wrists twist and move graceful,
delightfully twinned with the neck of a swan,
and her body sways like a leaf in the wind
to the melody from ages past.
The tabla starts a frantic beat
as the sitar player lets fly,
his new unrestrained chords
dilute the night with ecstasy.
And she dances in her trance,
skin shining with the dew of reflected joy,
her lithe body telling the story
that began before the dawn of time.
A crescendo summons the dance to end
and silence fills the void,
but far into the deep dark night
silver charms on an anklet ******
© Pagan Paul (01/09/17)
Sep 2, 2017
Sep 2, 2017 at 7:04 AM UTC
In this tightly interwoven
tapestry of
silks and cottons
softness upon stems
an intricately-boned
journey
manifesto of life
I find myself in
patchwork landscapes
of ochre and
rust turning
turquoise
earthern shades
of cumin and cardamom
cloves and coriander
piquant red of paprika
alighting the senses
My fingers reach out
to sift the powder
to crush
fragrant fronds
of fresh basil and oregano
upon the blueprint of tips
allow their scent
to permeate my skin
and infuse tissue
of tongue and lips
and I seem to be
in this
bustling marketplace
my blood afire like
dried ghost pepper
searing and brightening
all flavors
fenugreek and asafoetida
to soothe the ache
of emptiness
chervil and chive
to get juices flowing
I want to slit open
vanilla pods
get at the beans
revel in their essence
wear it all over me
In this realm of spice
and paradise
I am flying,
a magic carpet of dreams
unrolling before me
like an unfurled flag
of new existence
The sounds of hagglers,
fading in raw visons
of shiny apple colors
olives piled high
textures of smooth cherry
budded broccoli
of walnut wrinkles
aroma of guava
Music takes over
I am in a cloud of
oud and lute
syncopated tabla
bells and rumbling
taut skin drum beats
Or is that long low whir
simply my heart purring
to the cadence of
freedom's call?
I only know
that in the whisk
of a second's split
I will savor the flight
and also the
fall
May 6, 2017
May 6, 2017 at 4:51 PM UTC
One who cavorts
To the beats of the percussion instrument
Does not hear
The screams of the animal
One who loses himself
In the rhythm of the Tabla
Will not read the memories of the leather
One who presents his love
With a peacock feather will not see
The blood stains where it was plucked
The one who accepts it and dances
Will not know
A bird, its feet and wing broken
One who wears hair from the elephant’s tail
To become fearless
Does not see
The life cowering under the sharp end
Of the pole used to control it,
Nor hear the rattle of chains
One who reads these lines will not read….
Feb 3, 2014
Feb 3, 2014 at 1:57 PM UTC
Tabla beat
hear the rhythm.
Triumphant
rise unto heav'n.
Abandon all
the nano-cares.
Freedom sought
found and shared.
Jan 1, 2012
Jan 1, 2012 at 7:35 AM UTC
Won't you play your sweet tabla for me?
Just to see where we could be?
I'm so ashamed..
You lured me in to your magical realm.
My naïveté of child-like antics..
Where has the sweetness in your percussion gone?
My body longs to receive this gentle ambrosia rush over me..
Again.
**
|VB|
Apr 21, 2014
Apr 21, 2014 at 4:03 PM UTC
De todos los laberintos el mejor
es el que no conduce a nada
y ni siquiera va sembrando indicios
ya que aquellos otros
esos pocos que llevan a alguna parte
siempre terminan en la fosa común
así que lo mejor es continuar vagando
entre ángulos rectos y mixtilíneos
pasadizos curvos o sinuosos
meandros existenciales / doctrinas en zigzag
remansos del amor / veredas del desquite
en obstinada búsqueda de lo inhallable
y si en algún momento se avizora
la salida prevista o imprevista
lo más aconsejable es retroceder
y meterse de nuevo y de lleno
en el dédalo que es nuestro refugio
después de todo el laberinto es
una forma relativamente amena
de aplazar cualquier postrimería
el laberinto / además de trillada metáfora
frecuentada por borges y otros aventajados
discípulos y acólitos del rey minos
es simplemente eso / un laberinto /
cortázar se quejaba / entre otras cosas /
de que ya no hubiera laberintos
pero qué sino un laberinto
es su rayuela descreída y fértil
forzado a elegir entre los más renombrados
digamos los laberintos de creta samos y fayum
me quedo con el de los cuentos de mi abuela
que no dejaba vislumbrar ninguna escapatoria
en verdad en verdad os digo que la única fórmula
para arrendar la esquiva eternidad
es no salir jamás del laberinto
o sea seguir dudando y bifurcándose y titubeando
o más bien simulando dudas bifurcaciones y titubeos
a fin de que los leviatanes se confundan
así y todo el laberinto es tabla de salvación
para aquellos que tienen vocación de inmortales
el único inconveniente es que la eternidad /
como bien deben saberlo el padre eterno
y su cohorte de canonizados /
suele ser mortalmente aburrida
999
Desnuda como un yunque, mesa mía,
no admites ni una flor para tu adorno,
nada se aquieta en ti ni permanece:
el torrente infantil lo barre todo
***** tintero, blando cartapacio,
búcaro de cristal o marco de oro
hace mucho que están en las alturas
o yacen de cajones en el fondo.
Cuando me llego a ti ya voy completo:
el pensamiento musical y pronto,
estilográfica en la mano
y una hoja sale de un bolsillo o de otro,
¿Cómo será una mesa aderezada
bajo la fija claridad de un foco,
con una rosa erguida en una copa,
sin una brizna de papel o polvo?
La pluma ha de correr oleosamente
y el período o la estrofa fluir solos.
Mas ¿quién piensa en el orden un instante
bailando alrededor varios demonios
que saltan sobre ti como si fueras
en la campaña fugitivo potro?
Éste abre su libro de lectura,
ése levanta mapas policromos,
aquél corta figuras de revistas
y las pega en cuadernos ampulosos
a pinceladas de indomable engrudo
que, de paso, salpican el contorno.
Tal vez así se escriba con ventaja,
entre gritos, moquetes y sollozos,
y el cerebro agradezca el espolazo
como el fijar el hierro presuroso,
como la tierra el filo de la reja
o como el mar los remos espumosos.
Así te han puesto más de quince años
cual banco de escolares revoltosos,
que elaborando sobre ti se han ido
el verso más o menos primoroso
o la resta pueril, o el mapa alegre,
cosas de niño, de poeta y loco.
Sobre tu desnudez leo y medito
contra la tabla, persistente, el codo,
o me cruzo de brazos resignado
en la actitud cerrada del estoico.
Mesa: estés como estés, así te dejo,
ni te pulo, te lustro, ni repongo,
hemos de continuar como hasta ahora:
ya sabemos los dos que falta poco.
940
Bajo un cámbulo en flor, en la llanura,
cerca de clara fuente rumorosa
que va regando a su rededor frescura,
sin cruz la abandonada sepultura,
el poeta suicida en paz reposa.
Caprichoso juguete del destino,
pálido, siempre triste, torvo y ceño,
fue en extrañas regiones peregrino,
siempre buscando su ideal divino,
y siempre en pos de su imposible sueño.
Una tarde, a los últimos fulgores
de Sol, cuando en el viejo campanario
del Ángelus vibraban los clamores,
regresó, con su fardo de dolores,
a su hogar el poeta solitario.
«Mi corazón, nos dijo, paz desea;
escribiré»... Para luchar cobarde
Nada más escribió. Su sola idea
era la de la muerte... Y otra tarde
lo vimos que salía de la aldea.
«Dónde vas?» Le dijimos
«Una cita;
Voy de prisa... me esperan...» Infinita
calma brillaba en su pupila inerte
«¿Quien? No lo sé. Beatriz... o Margarita».
...Y su cita... ¡era cita con la muerte!
Ya duerme... Y a las sombras, a lo ignoto,
a la negra, infinita lontananza,
lanzó el cansado y pálido piloto,
su blanco ensueño, como mástil roto,
como tabla deshecha, la Esperanza.
Como es tierra maldita, no hay camino
a do el triste cantor descansa inerme;
huye su sepultura el campesino,
solo... y en paz, con su laúd divino.
Pero cuando la luna en los desiertos
ámbitos se levantan, como aurora,
como la blanca aurora de los muertos,
desentume el canto los brazos yertos,
y en su huesa callada se incorpora.
¿Qué dulce voz de misterioso encanto
rompe el silencio de la noche? ¿Es una
serenata de amor?... ¿Plegaria o llanto?
¿Notas de arpas celestes?... ¡Es el canto
del poeta, a los rayos de la luna!
Y surgen a su acento, cual visiones,
las bellas heroínas inmortales
de sus castos poemas y canciones...
¡De su vida, las blancas ilusiones;
del poeta, las novias ideales!
Van surgiendo al vibrar de la armonía,
halo de luz sobre la frente, y llenas
de albas rosas las manos... Se diría
de canéforas blanca Teoría,
bajo arcadas de mármol, en Atenas.
En silencio lo escuchan... Ni un acento
Se levanta inoportuno... Ni suspira
Entre las ramas del guadual el viento.
En torno todo es paz, recogimiento;
todo es quietud al sollozar la ira.
Callad al fin las notas armoniosas;
y a la luz de la luna, que en la quieta
llanura se difunde, las hermosas
ponen sobre las sienes del poeta
una corona de laurel y rosas
Vuelve a cantar la brisa... Lentamente
las visiones se extinguen una a una;
como un áureo jardín es el Oriente,
y el poeta en la fosa hunde la frente,
mientras se borra en el azul la luna.
961
A blank naked book
for writing?!
It must be mine
My mother, other sister
in the back of my mind
begged me to scribe
so i will till I BLEED
This tabla raza she cried
you will fill with our words
Even though you will realize
they are surely yrs
Bury the tablet deep in yourself
it might hurt a lot
BUT TO RAISE A NEW HEAVEN
one must built it from rot
So shove it deep into
the hell of your pocket
Heaven above must surely spot it
Don't fear my dear
Loose yourself in the toys
play soothing piano for the boisterous boys
grab the gems the unwanted daughters
they don't need anything
but forceful fathers
THE SHIRT THE SHIRTS!
blinding brilliant colors
Above all these distractions the doors a little farther
Butterflys to the feet
to soften
yr
step
but remember to run if they quicken their step!
WE WILL SEE WHO RUNS OUT OF BREATH
May 5, 2014
May 5, 2014 at 2:14 AM UTC
Ilang buhay pa
ang katulad nilang
makitil,
magkulambo ng tabla
at matabunan ng lupa
na nilinang at pinagyaman
nang mga sariling kamay at pa?
©2019
Apr 18, 2019
Apr 18, 2019 at 1:28 AM UTC
Dice Rubén que quiere la eternidad, que pelea por esa memoria de
los hombres para un siglo, o dos, o veinte. Y yo pienso que esa eternidad
no es más que una prolongación, menguada y pobre, de nuestra
existencia.
Hay que estar frente a un muro. Y hay que saber que entre nuestros puños
que golpean y el lugar del golpe, allí está la eternidad.
Creer en la supervivencia del alma, o en la memoria de los hombres,
es lo mismo que creer en Dios, es lo mismo que cargar su tabla mucho antes
del naufragio.
414
#*Mellifluous and mystical
He passionately plays the flute
The atmosphere divine and serene
Filled with pure harmony
Soulful and rhythmic
She wondrously plays the tabla
Complementing notes to his flute
A perfect symphony
Musically entwined*#
Apr 20, 2020
Apr 20, 2020 at 7:58 AM UTC
The Prince of Tripura
Prince of Music
Only child of Sachin Dev
A king amongst composers
Was born Rahul Dev
Toddler cried in 5 notes
Hence named Pancham
Livelihood in Music
Like fish to Water
Tabla and Harmonica
Learnt playing in order
Compose for movies
Ready for the struggle
Breaking in impossible
Dream remain a dream
Assisted father
A legend peak of career
To fill in the coffers
Nobody knew
What he had to offer
Insults swallowed
Rejections followed
Years in limbo
Acted in cameo
Waited in the wings till
Vijay Anand offeres Teesri Manzil
Supported by giants
Dazzling Score broke records from yore
Straight into people's heart like never before
Musician he was not
He was the Music
Talent Skill Genuis
All words in the dictionary
Couldn't fit his personality
Yet to find a word so true
To describe his music pure
No pinnacle
No Nadir
Music has a scale
He doesn't
Genre didn't matter
What was flowing was a river
Your ability to take
Was the music that came
Thinking and Doing
Duality hed overcome
Music written and scored
Magic Wand in hand
One stroke up and down
Tunes piled up on the
Gramaphone
500 films
3 Decades
Immortality achieved
No point counting
Still flowing
Music still gushing
Immeasurable
Enough inside
No bar time or tide
Beethoven Bach Mozart
Monet Van Gogh Picasso
Forever remain their art
Likewise the Burman Craft
Jan 25, 2021
Jan 25, 2021 at 3:19 AM UTC