Come home, son

(Transliteration of work by Vali from the Tamil movie 'Desam')

hey you, Can you not hear
the voice of your homeland
Ringing in your ears like
a distant chiming bell?

hey you, do you not listen
To your mother whispering
softly in your ears
'Come home, son'?

hey you, do you not get lost
in the memories of the past?
will these thoughts ever die??
Will these memories not follow you
like a long shadow??

do you not see that
a foreign soil is a mere camp tent?
do you not recognize the difference
between a house and a home?

do you not see that
even the highest flying bird
comes to home for the nest?
do you not see that
the house is out but
the mind is always in??

do you not understand that
all the dollars and pounds,
all the big houses and posh cars,
will not give you peace of mind
when you dont have home land to stand??

--repeat-
hey you, Can you not hear
the voice of your homeland
Ringing in your ears like
a distant chiming bell?

hey you, do you not listen
To your mother whispering
softly in your ears
'Come home, son'?
--repeat--

the ganges hails you,
all the rivers welcome you,
all the mountains welcome you,
the good times are calling you -
times when you used to
play hide and seek among the trees,
times when you chased those
little butterflies around the garden,
times when you slept in the laps
of those coconut trees,
times when you forgot inner self
in the warmth of your near and dear,
times when heaven was on earth
with the moonlit dinner and
a sound sleep on the straw mat

--repeat-
hey you, Can you not hear
the voice of your homeland
Ringing in your ears like
a distant chiming bell?

hey you, do you not listen
To your mother whispering
softly in your ears
'Come home, son'?
--repeat--

even the most beautiful moon
has scars in its face,
so what your beautiful home
has some tears and cracks??
will your hands not wipe off
the tears of your mother?
will your hands not lead
darkness to light, myth to truth??
let this country find prosperity
following your footsteps!
let this brothren find
an able, noble soul to follow!
turn back, come home -
come find peace in your mothers lap!!

-repeat--
hey you, Can you not hear
the voice of your homeland
Ringing in your ears like
a distant chiming bell?

hey you, do you not listen
To your mother whispering
softly in your ears
'Come home, son'?
--repeat--

Secret of Ages

Life drags on !
Like a slow stream
Hurt by stones and rocks
Healed by time.
Life drags on
Great Grand dads hang in frames
Grand dads in wait
Stories get passed on
Waiting for days mine will be told
Every second passes by
Millions die, Millions are born
Thousands make Millions
Thousands get to the streets
Life drags on
Telling me the secret of Ages
Time can forget whatever you do
Enjoy it now, or never!

More Words that rhyme

This is a fine day at work!
Twenty verses a day
Makes 600 a month
Brings up good fortune at
The local print and gazatte
A poet i am-
I coin words that ryhme
Never care to get down to earth
Never really meant anything i wrote
Yet this lousy world finds a god in me!!
Pens letters thanking me
In every sense
I see hundreds work for the common good
This world that never cared that
But Looks and prays in my direction
As long as my words cure hearts
Long as someone rises from his bed
And long as i get some pennies for my words
Give me, god, more words that rhyme!

-Raja

Distress

Your tears are for reasons
I never know
Your name, home, or cult
I never know
Your tears remind me
Of my sad days
Of the days when
My life was driven unconciously
By the forces of destiny;
The pain, and the suffering
I have had
When my near and dear all passed away;
The depth of wounds
That was nursed by no one in the world
That my tears could worsen yours,
I will not cry
I shall swallow my sadness,
Barricade my tears,
And leave you alone in the darkness.

-Raja