Me thought
I am a withering leaf,
floating on the oily water,
chlorophyll already deserting:
lines criss cross sustain me
to the stemmed plant.
Lengthy stalk and stem,
cute buds, fragranced blossoms,
pecks and pots and pails of water
flow to the rim of the brim
of leafage. Still I am inconsolable;
early birds call, close by
chirp and sing, as if knit
Ode to God and Nature,
sit and serenade- a see-saw.
I lose my shade.
Near to yellow, yearn for
The preservation of Green:
Every bud, every offspring
A delectable bonanza, amidst
The tiny gregarious leaflets.
Sudden drop of Mercy from
Above, a huggie from a
good Samaritan: to undo
the withering: No, no, I am
not a withering leaf anymore.
S. Radhamani: She was born in Madras, did B.A. English, obtained M.A. English from Venkateswara University, Tirupati, did her doctoral thesis on W.H. Auden’s Plays, subsequently obtained PGDTE from CIEFL (Hyderabad). A Professor of English with 31 years of teaching experience in a post-graduate and research institution, published four books of poems and one book of short story, widely published and anthologized, guided M.Phil. research scholars and PhD candidates, and a reviewer and critic. Also published poems and short stories in many websites, presented papers in National and International conferences.