Lie? Or truth?

(An inquisition into Presence)

Mahaakavi Subhramanya Bharathi

Those which stand, walk, fly! – Are you

All living things a dream? – Or illusions thy?
All that is learnt, heard, considered! – Are you
All mere images? – How dense are thy fraught?

Blue sky, Tender sunlight, Forests – Are you

All mirages? – Or result of confused vision?
As sunken in the dreams are the bygone knowledges
Am I too a dream? – Or this world a lie too?

Time and perspective as factors of thoughts

Are their manifestations lies? –Their characteristics lies too?
Trees are born of seeds, hence are forests lie too?
Does it merit for us to think?

If what is seen could be hidden,

Is it not possible for the hidden to be seen?
Whatever seen is present; what is not is not
What is seen is Shakti – The Eternal!

Translation of Mahaakavi Bharathi’s poem “Poiyo? Meiyo?”