​For all those who supported different beings all through the floods and after...

Linked
 
Frightened baby rat
Too stunned to move
Palpitating
Exposed
 
His heartbeat transfers
To my hands
As I lift him
And leave him
in relative safety
away from the roads
 
One other time,
It was Sandhiya
Lifting carefully on a twig
writhing shiny black tiny
Brahminy blind snake
From the footpath
 
And another time
She picked up the baby turtle
And returned it to the pond
 
The rat is still on my mind
Our heartbeats
are linked for a while
his fear
and trembling
shivering being
mine
to hold
in gentle
care
while he recuperates
under the
geranium bushes.

​Artist: Srivi Kalyan

Three exquisite miniature trios from the Red Hedgehog Trio for quiet healing. Each little step you take towards recovery is an exquisite musical journey.

Almost There
https://redhedgehogtrio.bandcamp.com/track/almost-there-probyn-gregory
Artists: Probyn Gregory, Red Hedgehog Trio

Gnossiesque (Homage to Satie)
https://redhedgehogtrio.bandcamp.com/track/gnossiesque-homage-to-satie-raphael-atlas
Artists: Raphael Atlas,  ​Red Hedgehog Trio

L'écrevisse
https://redhedgehogtrio.bandcamp.com/track/l-crevisse-anne-marie-turcotte​
Artists: Anne Marie Turcotte, Red Hedgehog Trio



Thanks Marjorie​ and Dan for sharing these exquisite compositions with us, each an incredible whole within a miniature universe. To each of us, putting together our emotions, our dreams, our homes and our memories of water and food after the floods, these miniature compositions are inspirations to weave together our own miniatures for each little step towards recovery.​

Because no story should go untold...

Artist: Ankit Chada


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OE4oZhSnIk​

https://soundcloud.com/gurupriya-atreya/tholaiviniley


Artist - Gurupriya Athreya

To all the wonderful couples who have shown great courage, have had to take hard decisions together, who have to build their lives back together, who have stood by each other... who have sometimes waited on the other side of the world, unable to reach their spouse, their lover... worrying, frightened and praying. To those of you who have let go of your spouse to go and volunteer, do relief work, holding your own fears at bay! To all of you for the great courage it takes to live through times like these! Keep the love going strong and beautiful!

May your child be safe and
sleep with joy
amidst all that is
happening around you.
May you be rested enough
to take care
when your child
is crying.
May you have enough
to feed and
enough energy
to embrace.
May your child be safe
with a soft bed
and bird song.
May your child be safe and
​sleep with joy.

​Artist: Srivi Kalyan

This song, written by the great poet, Subramanya Bharatiyar and composed beautifully by O.S.Arun talks about the fury and power of nature, lashing rains in its full glory. bharatiyar surrenders to this higher force and celebrates it and describes it to fellow people acknowledging them as "Oh my brave brother".

Artist: Bindhumalini N

https://soundcloud.com/bindhumalini/dikkugal-ettum-sidari​

There are never any easy ways to comprehend the fury of nature. But here is one more way to acknowledge its magnificence while finding acceptance of its destruction.

​To all mothers who have endured fear and worry for their children through these floods. Stay safe. Take care of yourself! You need a hug too. 

closed eyes her tiny fingers
clasping my long locks of black hair
sweet milk left behind in sleep
her mouth open a tiny bit, two feet lined up
on my tummy I am a mother
 
 Artist: Sandhiya Kalyan

"This is from me with love and laughter for during damp times like this" -Jaya
Artist: Jaya Madhavan

​In a recent interaction with six-year-old children, I asked them to write a short description of any animal of their choice. I gave them a structure for the essay — namely the first line should describe their chosen animal in such specific manner that the readers should be left in no doubt, the second few lines should detail the use/danger of the animal to humans and the last line can be used to express their personal opinion of the animal.

I usually use this exercise to gauge how “schooled and boxed in” the children are and based on this I decide at what level I should begin my writing workshop with them. But it emerged that this particular group was full of poets. For the sake of my readers, I have remedied the children’s sentences and spellings a bit, but the import is intact. Read on:

A boy who chose to write on cow said in his first sentence (describing the animal in specific manner), “A cow is a cow. Not a goat.”  ”Going on to the second paragraph, he explained, “Many animals have milk, but a cow is so good that it can give milks even in packets” and his last line said it all, “I love a cow. It is so useful I know its spelling.”

Another child enthralled me with her version of the lion. Her first line read — “Lines are fat and hairy.” Second paragraph — “Lions run after non-veg items like chicken, egg, mutt­on, beef. We cannot be friends with lion as we are also non-veg item.” And finally, “Lions are useful to us in cinemas.
Then came the dog. “Do I like my dog or my sister? My sister fights with me. My dog only bites me. I bathe in Dettol, my dog also. My sister’s name is Minu. My dog’s name is Joker. I feel sad because they make fun of my dog. He is not joker, but my sister is mean. I hate my sister. I love my dog. He is useful. Sister is dangerous.”

Yet another child wrote about the owl. “Owl is living in villages or forests, inside a tree hole. They are so wise that crow, sparrow and everyone go to Owl for wisdom. An owl sleeps in the day. But I cannot. I come to school in the day. Also I live in city. So I don’t know anything about owl. So bye-bye.”
Next came the snake. “Ssssssssssssssssssssss­ssssss, a snake shouts like this. When we say ssssssssssssssssssssssssss it means keep quiet. Teachers shout like snake. Snakes dance very well. For annual day we did snake dance. A snake is useful in school programmes.”

There was one on Hippos too. “Hippo has large hips. They live in Discovery TV. I have a hippo soapbox. If hippo and elephant fight, who will win? I am very sorry; I don’t know any use of Hippo.”
And I particularly love the one on elephants. “Elephant is big, black and very strong. From far they look like black clouds. They wear bells to warn us. Their anklets are so big we use them as chains. Elephant is the national animal of the world.”
​
There were many other lovely entries about the rabbit, peacock, monkey and even fish. The children eventually created some beautiful poetry with me which I shall share with my readers in another column.
The children employed such exquisite expressions, boldness and revealed such expanse of heart and mind that I regretted my adulthood, which seems to stand in my way of writing good poetry. What more can I say? I only hope that the children’s “schooling does not interfere with their education” and I can only hope that these children remain the poets they so easily are!

I am here, waiting
thinking of you
a million prayers
for your safety
now and after...
Oh! but so much anguish,
as I sit here
waiting for you...
In my memory
a purple flower 
that you love,
blossoms of parijatham
gentle dew drops,
your love for life!
I am here
Waiting and thinking
and praying for your
safety.
I am here,
listening, 
reaching out,
with you!

Stay safe my friend!
I am 
​with you!

​Artist: Srivi Kalyan