New Poetry Live

On a fine summer evening,

I was at the shore watching,

From over a high mound sitting,

The beauty of sun-setting.

***

I viewed birds in flocks flying,

Over the ocean happily returning

And the noisy sounds twittering

That drummed my ears endearing.

***

I found a couple roving

And in a yacht anxiously returning,

After some moments of thrilling

Expedition over the waters venturing.

***

I saw the sailors in small batches,

With baskets of crabs and fish catches

Spreading on the shore in stretches

Of different categories and matches.

***

I saw the customers bargaining,

And fishermen them delivering,

The stocks after billing and paying

And the traders in carts moving.

***

I saw the fishermen folk drunk,

Heavily after a hawker served plonk

And them plunking and running amuck

Impairing their ability to trek.

***

Rama Rao Saripalli

# Santa Clara CA-95050

March 6, 2000-6.30 PM PST

A bloomy young glitzy woman,

With curly hairs spun in bun

Dazzling eyes and amorous vision,

Looked alike a courtesan in Heaven.

***

Long nose and the nostrils pricked

With golden diamond pins well poked;

Sparkling gem studs in ear lobes pecked,

Coruscated her beauty well equipped

***

With high bosoms tucked in corset,

Coated with soft transparent vest

And knobby nipples therein set tight

Her countenance was neatly set.

***

Her waist line with margin thin,

And glamorous buns twin

In fitting skirts very much blown

Swerved all sides up and down.

***

The body fragile, tall and lean,

With chubby face likened to moon,

Rosy cheeks and glittering skin

She impressed me as ever green.

***

Rama Rao Saripalli

Santa Clara CA 95050

April 10, 2000.

Every one is born naked,

This is the truth naked,

And at life’s end indeed,

The person is to be buried.

***

But all the time one lived,

A cloth for that person is most needed,

For covering the body exposed,

Even ignoring the belly’s feed.

***

Food, cloth, and abode

Are essentials of human need

And if these are denied,

Then human life is deprived.

***

Rama Rao Saripalli

Santa Clara CA 95050

USA- March 26, 2000

THE PALM TREE

(By Dr.Bezawada Gopala Reddy)

***

You appear like a holy boy

Engrossed in rigid sacrifice

And oblations for long duration

Standing on single leg;

What is your resolve of this extreme vow?

Thy head is covered with hairs,

And body is withering;

Thou are dismembered in eternal war;

Your body colour is bluish;

The affluent and the rich,

Towards you contempt nourish;

Thou are not grown

In courtyards or parks,

Thou are not seen

In any garden;

Thou art not given

Any fertilizer even,

Or any water provision.

***

Your countenance is alike

That of Shiva in appearance;

In your premises your census

Is large and countless;

In burial grounds and

Lands arid

You are found,

With nodding head,

Without desire or demand,

Women do not adore you,

You do not provide shadow,

Cattle do not seek your care,

For, they can’t shelter secure;

Warblers won’t you approach

As you are devoid of branches,

They don’t your hospitality beseech.

Though your strength is mighty

You have a low profile in the society

As you don’t command respectability

Excepting spreading yourself in diversity.

***

II

Not minding your deficiencies

Social disaffection and negligence,

You are everything sacrificing

And benefiting the human race

By extending services and supplies

Deep from roots to upward leaves,

You are catering tender edible sprouts,

Flower bunches and kernels of fruits,

Which produce juice

And in breweries

Alcohol is manufactured by distillation

Providing pleasure to poor population.

***

Palm jaggery cooked,

Is commercially profitable,

While with your barks twisted

Ropes are manufactured

Your trunk in abodes used,

While your leaves are covered

Over the huts as hoods impoverished.

In effect you’re the Kalpataru

“The tree of wish”,

Satiating desires we wish

From your toe to the head,

You are service oriented

Giving happiness

To poor masses.

To prevent scorching summer heat,

You come like a fan to comfort,

You are single legged prophet,

Preaching virtues of service credit,

You are worthy of creation,

We offer you salutation.

***

III

The wealth of poets’ talents

Is acquiring immortal levels,

Because they sleep on mats of your leaves;

Some days in centuries past

The ships they sailed with poems cast

Are reaching our shores

With white mats fixed to masts

Enabling to sail our future generations.

***

Withstanding for generations

The heat waves, whirl wind vibrations,

Their poetic skills that are floating,

Could enrapture future generations.

***

Myriad years’ old Nannayya’s Adi Parvam,

Has become the headgear of modern youth

On account of your kindness and favors

The latter poets have also you embellished;

Potanna’s verses on Gajendra Moksham

And Rukmini Kalyanam

Are by millions sung

And always gaining newness

And the literature is adored in libraries

Due to your grace.

***

What would have happened to our

Cultural heritage and literature

Without your existence there?

***

You are the feeder of intellectuals,

You are the God for poor peoples

You’re the ‘Kalpa Vriksham’

For the common man,

Your penance standing on leg single

Has earned for you full success.

***

Translated from Telugu.

By

Rama Rao Saripalli

479 La Conner Dr # 1

Sunnyvale CA 94087-5715 USA

August-15, 2000

(The Telugu version was published in Telugu Monthly “JAGATI” Edited by N.R.Chendur of Chenai, Tamil Nadu)

O My lovely Lord!!

Thou hath me created,

And saw me grow old,

But at life’s end,

I am compelled

To, on others, depend.

***

Living well and bold

I enjoy things vivid;

Now me turned old

And physically undid

Sans vigor required,

A curse it’s, my God.

***

I seek you my Lord,

Thy blessings myriad

To provide health sound

Enabling to pray ye Dad

Until I leave this world,

Being by you ordained.

***

Rama Rao Saripalli

#Santa Clara, CA 95050, USA

May 10, 2000.

I am conscious my death is sure

On some day in the future;

When I finally from life retire,

My kith and kin may sob at my pyre

Hailing my achievements and lore

My heirs on the eve of funeral chore

May wish to apportion each one’s share

Of my fixed and liquid assets in store

And may also scramble when they disagree

Even over possession of a plowshare

Ignoring to take care of my literary treasure;

In thus testament I wish my primogeniture

Will at least conserve all my literature,

For the benefit of the generations in future.

Rama Rao Saripalli

January 31, 2001

You look like twinkling star’

Shining in the welkin afar

***

Hello … my dear darling!

***

You have all the charm

Of a woman quite warm:

***

Hello…my dear darling!

***

You are a woman of high fusion,

Capable of fueling my passion;

***

Hello….my darling!

***

You are a glitzy dame,

Yielding to grip of my palm;

***

Hello….my darling!

You are capable to balm

Our passions become calm.

***

Rama Rao Saripalli

479 LA CONNER Dr # Apt 1

Sunnyvale CA 94087 (USA)

Dated December 18, 2003

She saw me

And I saw her

We spoke to none

For we were

Apart far.

***

A noble woman

Of high breed

She to me looked

Alike a cortesan

Descended Heaven

***

Her graceful gaits

And maneuvering sights

And beautiful portrait

With narrow waist

Did she me atrract.

***

Rama Rao Saripalli

August 11, 2005, Chatrapur.

My heart is a trove of secrets

Full of embattled love pursuits,

At every stage in different resorts,

Where I had to confront,

New situations of varied comforts

With my darling’s swelling breasts,

Squeezed in velvet corset vests

That kindled my eyes best.

***

My wisdom was beset with insanity,

That pervaded me to diversity,

Yielding not to one, but countless ten,

That was how I did enjoy fun,

At all costs longing for my beloved one

To meet at rendezvous often,

As I couldn’t live apart my companion,

Since my heart’s sweet (honey) is she alone.

***

Rama Rao Saripalli, 479 La Conner Dr # 1

Sunnyvale,CA 94087, USA

June 8, 2004.

(By Upadrasta Anuradha)

***

This is the ancient banyan tree

Reared with love by our ancestry

The most precious property

Preserved for the posterity

With firmly embedded roots

Strongly supporting aerial roots

Branches extended throughout the cosmos

Exulted even by the foreigners.

This is the Telugu Culture

That has risen to eminence

This is university

Imparting knowledge variety

This is the work field

Of the highest intellectuals

This is the abode

Of sixty-four Fine Arts

This is the theatre

Of wonderful artistes

This is the crop harvested

From the dreams Andhras had,

This is the symbol of

The splendour of the Telugu people;

Its every branch produces mellifluous

Musical compositions

Of Annamayya, Tyagayya and others;

Its every twig possesses graceful

Movements of Kuchipudi dancers

And the tinklings of their anklets,

From top to toe it has the marvelous

Beauty of the Amaravati stone carvings

Wearing the sacrificial crown of patriots,

It stands with full of dignity and pride

Proclaiming the message

That Telugu is superior to all other

Indian languages vernacular.

This is the tree of our progenitors

And heritable property of our successors.

***

Translated from Telugu

By

Rama Rao Saripalli

About Mrs Upadrasta Anuradha.

Ms. Upadrata Anuradha, a Post Graduate in English of Berhampur University served as Lecturer and Reader in English (1974 - 2001) in Parlakhemundi, Berhampur, Chatrapur and Bhadrak Colleges. She is a famous Translator and writer in English, Telugu and Oriya. Several of her translated stories from Oriya to Telugu and vice versa have been published in different journals. Her translation of Padma Sri Dr.Manoj Das’ stories from Oriya to Telugu; selected Telugu stories into Oriya, and the “Koyya Gurram” (Long verses in Telugu of Nagnamuni) with the caption “Kattha ghoda” (wooden horse) have earned for her high reputation as A-1 multilingual Translator. She is the Orissa’s first Telugu translator who had the distinction of receiving the “Mansvini Anuvada Sanman” 2008 Award with cash prize of Rs.5000/- conferred by Orissa Lekhika Sansad. She was felicitated by the Madras Telugu Academy(2002) Telugu Cultural Association (women’s wing) Chatrapur(2004), Berhampur Andhra Mahila Samajam and all other cultural organization of Berhampur. Her anthology of Oriya stories translated into Telugu “Oriya Katha Sourabhavam” was released at a glittering function in March 2008. She was decorated with the titles of “Visishta Vidushimani” and “Anuvada Saraswati” by Chatrapur Telugu Cultural Association(Women’s Wing) and Berhampur Andhra Mahila Samajam respectively.Despite her ill health, she is involved in number of projects and receiving admirations from different quarters. I wish her a bright future.

Rama Rao Saripalli

*****

In this connection, my poem about Anuradha is as follows:

*****

ANURADHA AN ANGEL ACADEMICIAN

*****

Upadrasta Anuradha has earned the distinction

Popularizing the Telugu-Oriya literature union

As writer, poet and translator of high reputation

Deserving number of accolades and felicitations

Rarely achieved by physically ill fated persons

Apparently facing challenges of her illness well

Sustained by unstinting support and good will

Telugu-Oriya laureates extended at free will

A-1 writer Anuradha deserves kudos well.

Anuradha, an Angel Academician of eminence

Never relaxed from her habitual writing practice

Umpteen translations she did by God’s grace

Resonating her wisdom and lore in abundance

Accelerating the faculties she gained in opulence

Dedicating to foster multi-lingual coherence,

Harbinger of amity betwixt academicians,

And multi-lingual adroit writers’ communion.

*****

Rama Rao Saripalli

Dated, Chatrapur, the 30^th March,2008
On the occasion of the releasing of

ORIYA KATHA SOWRABHAM’-Translation of Oriya Stores)