June 10, 2010

‘My Lord of the Cosmic Dance’

Scruffy the face of my faith

Thin its flame of devotion

You believe this

My Lord of the Cosmic Dance

Just because I say so

Naïve, isn’t it

Milk, curd,

Sugar cane juice

Green coconut water

Turmeric

Sandalwood paste

Vibhuti

For the abhishekams

I offer

Plus my tears

The most precious

The most dubious

offering

After all the anointing

And chanting

You remain unmoved

I pray in borrowed slokas

In stolen chants

My own words

As common as any wild flower

That blooms and folds unheeded

Would not be good enough

For my Lord of the Cosmic Dance

After the abhishekam

Adorned with silver kavacham

Day after day

Your eyes and lips

Impassive and sealed

No quick nod

No passing smile

Not even a frown

Nothing!

What’s the point, my Lord

Of my worship at your shrine

I will come no more

You walk to my home, my shrine

Visit me in my dreams

Give me restful sleep

Sleep that eludes me

Like a nurse wary

Of a wanton child

You get my point, my Lord?

Basavanna exhorts

‘before

age corrodes

your form

before

death touches you

worship

our lord

of the meeting rivers’

I say

‘before

sorrow corrodes

my heart

before

disbelief touches me

possesses me

visit me

my lord

of the cosmic dance’