Thursday, September 14, 2006

Pattern


A PATTERN IS
EVEN IF
ASSYMETRICAL
INTRINSICALLY
AN ORDER
IN CHAOS

LIKE A VAGABOND
BREEZE
PLAYING UPON
THE RESPONSIVE
STRINGS OF A
CARESS-HUNGRY LEAF
TO EXPLODE
INTO RAPTUROUS FRAGMENTS OF AN
UNFORGETTABLE
SYMPHONY

In 1995 the wife of the head of the British Council at that time asked if she could ‘borrow’ this poem. St Mary’s church, in the Fort, was celebrating its 315th anniversary, and she felt that the poem expressed a lot about the way that different communities / countries / beliefs formed a beautiful pattern. At the ceremony, the poem was read out in English, Tamil, Spanish, Russian, and French, by Consuls from countries which had representatives here in Chennai. I have no idea why this poem, which has no connection with god, religion or any kind of spiritualism, should first be chosen with such earnestness for recitation, and then, meet with such an emotional response and applause. But here it is, for your reaction and edification.


(St. Mary’s church, not my photograph)

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