A Poem A Day by Manivillie Kanagasabapathy
When your reason for being,
is found in her joy,
all the worries to which I cling,
seem nothing but a cheap ploy.
If all you want for her,
is a life of endless dreams,
then you have your answer,
I will hold you in the highest esteem.
© Manivillie Kanagasabapathy
**AN: Apologies for the repost – For some reason WordPress moved this post from yesterday, December 19, 2016, to published on December 3, 2016**
You willfully linger in the
empty dark
doubting both,
the beauty of the night
and fearful of embracing the light.
So, you tightly wrap that shawl
of possession tighter,
holdings on to others,
scared and scarred to trust
your own power,
the strength of your legs
grounded and holding up up.
Instead you prop your weight,
stealthly and quiety
on the backs on those,
so unsure of what they
really weigh, they don’t
notice the added burden
of your fears.
Those bitter dreams
and fallen promises,
Tied in place
by wills of ancestors,
too scared to leap and fly,
instead you build wings from
the feathers of others
not realizing,
it’s your own will
that keeps you afloat.
Thus, as much as I would like
to loan you my wind,
to help you stay up
the currents of my life
I can no longer direct to you.
© Manivillie Kanagasabapathy
My home is a luminous pearl
in the Indian Ocean
I am told.
An iridescent drop
of Buddha’s tears,
haunting and beautiful.
This home I collect,
through historical memory.
People, places, and spices,
teasing the edges of my senses,
like the ebbs and flows of waves
on the beaches of Colombo –
or is it Jaffna –
I can no longer recollect,
as snow sticks to my shoes now,
the sand, long fallen off.
My destiny is to wonder,
the pundits tell me.
The part of my hair,
never falling straight,
a zigzagged road home.
My feet too wide,
and steps to quick
to stay rooted.
A future prescribed
by ancestral physiology.
© Manivillie Kanagasabapathy
I know you are toxic for me,
but I pretend that I am immune,
to all the ways your energy draws
the peace of my mind.
I lie to myself that
closing the door is enough
and I don’t need to lock it
because you won’t push
it wide open just to
hear the sound of it bang.
This time, I need to confront,
who I am and who I want to be
realizing that the only pieces
missing to complete the puzzle
of me are one worn out of shape,
by being too long in your possession.
So I am taking back,
all the bits I left behind,
each time I said, “later.”
instead of goodbye.
Because there is no reason
for this ending to remain
unfinished.
© Manivillie Kanagasabapathy
I lost my creativity,
in the place I had
gone to meet it.
© Manivillie Kanagasabapathy
The texture of my life
is not bound by the
straightness of my hair.
Though you try to tell me,
that my dreams can
only be achieved by the
light reflecting off
the glow of my
porcelain skin,
available today
for the easy
purchase of my
identity.
If the wishes I have
can come true by
forgetting
the part of me that
connects our shared
histories and ancestors,
Then keep your white washed
fantasies, because I
dominate in the dark,
armored by colours kissed
by the sun,
and my big curly hair
reminding the world,
I am untamed
and I will not
shrink my presence
to fit comfortably
in your pocket.
© Manivillie Kanagasabapathy
AN: When I was writing this poem, this picture came to my mind, and I had to include it.
The photo is courtesy of my very talented friend Ramya from Ramya J Images, in Toronto. For on of her birthdays, we had a photo shoot to help build her portfolio – the pictures from that even remain some of my favorite to date 🙂 Such a talented photographer, filmmaker, storyteller, and artist.
your beauty
is an immutable
law of the
universe.
© Manivillie Kanagasabapathy
AN: It’s my birthday today and to celebrate, I wanted to share these words. Just in case you forget how much you shine.
