Matargashti

source

up

up

up

round

round                        round

round

goes the ferris wheel round,

round, round, round

                bounce,                bounce,

bounce,                 bounce,

many many rides for you to bounce,

.

and thankfully, there is a crude

rod to keep us from flying around,

to keep a hold of us as we hoot,

shout, make fun of the other

behind the back and upfront

because it doesn’t matter

when you all are a little mad

and become a child, when you

arrive at the rocky ground

(hidden overall by green carpets)

and encompass in you the spirit

that shines through your eyes,

when the city fair comes oblige

you with the memories, and you

live them again, one last time

every time

.

I have had the opportunity to go for such “matargashti” only rarely. Its been about 4 years since the last time I went and enjoyed. I even mentioned it in a poem from November, All these ordinary days and this was the particular stanza:

and how to forget, the excursion to the city fair,

my reluctance, to climb onto the Ferris wheel,

all of those who accompanied me went, while

I waved to them, some had closed their eyes,

panicked, but still going on for the ride, and

the way I shivered in my bones and smiled-

.

Now we are all dispersed here and there lacking contact. I am trying to revive the communication with some of them because friends are important and you realize that only after:

• you shoo them away
• they ignore you
• misunderstanding happens
• you realize that you were never friends

And I want to realize that you are all my friends. So come on, talk to me so that I can add your name in my secret list. 😀

Matargashti: I don’t know a definite word in English to go with it. I tried searching out but I guess, it is one of those words which can not be definitely translated to English. Its meaning would be along the lines of being naughty(childish/kiddish), having fun and not doing anything of consequence.

I am linking it up with Poetry Jam, where the prompt focuses on festivities, fairs and exhibitions this week.

And tell me about your matargashtis? Or your experiences when you went to a fair or a carnival?

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Takenoko/Bamboo Shoots Haiku

going up and up

reaching for eternity

rigid, tall and straight

.

evergreen bamboo

shoots cut down and thinly sliced

boiled, to feast upon

.

survival circles

displayed around the body

every few inches

.

ward off the evil

takenoko surrounding

lonely Shinto shrine

.

wet and slippery

showered in the morning rain

a bamboo-poet writes

.

a childish cutter

gash shining stalk of bamboo

emerge moon goddess

.

shedding those gold tears

watching in pain, her moon world

born from bamboo stalk

* Written for Carpe Diem # 217 Takenoko/Bamboo Shoots

* The last two haiku are derived from a Japanese folktale; The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. I came to know about it in a Japanese cartoon show once.