Lesson of Love

They lay together on the grass
Wondering and living the day,
Listening to myriad sounds,
Watching the clouds' mosaic display.

Then she turned to him and whispered,
"Shepherd, is this that I feel in
My head and heart that all call love,
Or does it not sprout from within?"

The shepherd smiled as though he knew
All that Radha had asked of him,
And set forth to explain in style
Ideas stolen from a whim.

"Look at the way the cuckoo sings.
Does it expect us to sing back?
Love like the song will give and give,
But never once in rhythm lack.

Look at the way the waves caress
The fine grains of sand on the shore.
Love touches us as intensely
And leaves us yearning for more.

See the lovely blades of grass,
Look how they curl and intertwine.
Love will nurture us like soil
Till your soul gets braided with mine.

All the things that make up this world
And the world as one teacher show
Us how love is born from naught
And to infinity must grow."

Hearing the words the shepherd said
Radha wept tears she could not hide
She rushed to hug her lover as
She felt an urge brimming inside.

She held his face and with closed eyes
Touched his lotus lips in a kiss
And amidst the bird, grass and sand
Taught the entire world what love is.

Innocence on a Disc

A child was selling his innocence,
As many growing adults do,
On a disc which had probably
Been built for some lewd exchanges.
I stood and heard the auction pounced
At, like some passing serendipity.
I stood and did not name a price
As I knew not how one values it.
All I knew was I could not give
What it would take to buy Innocence.
I stood and I watched as someone
Bought it for a few greenish notes,
Thereafter to be displayed on
A shelf; to ask bored friends over
Cold cocktails and deeply fried prawns
"Guess what I bought in the auction?"