Christmas Poem - 2009

Poetry Copyright©by VeerajaR 2009

A Slightly different version of this poem by the author can be found at: www.Kaleidoscoopes.blogspot.com

My Mother's Daughter

Thanksgiving-2009

Author with her cousin---visiting from Singapore @ Thanksgiving!

Copyright ©2009 VeerajaR.

All Rights Reserved by the Author; I am my mother's daughter.

A GOOD MORNING: In GOD!

A GOOD MORNING: In GOD!

As sun gleams its rays- and

Dawn reveals the new day

“Good Morning!” I want to say

To all- have a good day…

In GOD, I meant to say!

(Foremost)

I submit to YOU… my day

Help me keep all evil at bay

GOD! Ground me in you- I pray.

Your PEACE in me you display

For your will use me-YOU may!

Copyright © VeerajaR, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Foremost, I want to say

Thank YOU... for Always

Showing with no delay

YOUR mercy display- for

An angel you sent our way

"Mummy" you call me-she did say!

Back to YOU... YOU took her away

Soothing all our pain and dismay

Your PEACE in us, you do display

For your will --always

Use us--YOU may!

-Poetry & Prayer Copyright © VeerajaR, 2009

Action Hero In!

BATMAN SPOTTED AT HIGH SCHOOL PARADE!!!

A tomboy just like Mummy!

P.S._Mummy was the first girl (in the whole province) ever to ride a bike to school (Uduvil), back in 1940s.

Copyright © VeerajaR 2009

Awaits A Healing Grace!

Awaits A Healing Grace!

A purpose and place

For

Everyone and everything…

Awaits along life’s terrace

At

Every step and every turn to

Arrive and embrace!

***

Another day with solace

For

Every wound and every mind…

Awaits a healing Grace

For

Every soul-- a prize everlasting,

At last to rest, beyond… life’s race!

Copyright ©by Veera Rajaratnam, 2009. All Rights Reserved

To The Charming One

In Awe... of Creation!
- part Two

Charming Bubbles...
Big and small - how
Changing colors of
Rainbows fill?

Fluttering Butterflies
Spotted and striped - are
Flowing designs from...
God's kaleidoscope?

Copyright ©2009 VeerajaR. All Rights Reserved!

Happy Birthday, my son!
You are...
The life of our family!

Many... Many... Happy Returns of the Day, and

May GOD Bless You... today and always!!!


Your Mother,
My-mother's daughter!

In Awe... of Creation!

A poem for my first born on his birthday:


Rhythms of night and
Days to years- how
Rhythms of heart
Beat for years?

Brightest sun to…
Light the days- why
Mighty dark of
Night, moon rays?

Cardinal Red and Blue Jay...
Golden finch to green parrot,
Brush strokes of Joy- from
Almighty’s palette?

You Are A Blessing... my SON! Happy Birthday!!!



Copyright ©2009 VeerajaR. All Rights Reserved!


Yes, Mummy I do remember...!
Your first born -- the baby son you lost -- will always be remembered on this day...
for this is the day he was born too!


I am my-mother's daughter!

Backyard Beach

This is our backyard beach, our kids helped us build this nook about seven years back! They were little and always very enthusiastic to help me in these adventurous projects. Thank GOD for the blessed children and childhood bliss. My children are pretty sure they have out grown the childhood except me. They are convinced that I am never going to out grow my childhood bliss and my second mummy (mother-in-law) agrees with them. If blowing bubbles and swinging -high- makes you happy why stop enjoying them just because you are a grown up?


At least five minutes per week, if I find time to swing in the Hammock - despite all life's other demands and the ferocious Mosquitos trying to feed on me - that is worth living for (I never liked the phrase " to die for")!


Under the trees- looking up at the sky, feeling the breeze and the sneaking rays of sun, listening to the birds whistling and cooing- I always feel like a child left to be nutured by all the bliss around me at that moment. A sense of belonging - as if I belong to everything around me - permeates dissolving me into nothing and everything; it is a wonderful feeling!


This little haven is also a gift of love from my husband who, at the first site of the backyard and the trees, turned to me and said "here you go, a fine place to fix a hammock for you." The thought had just crossed my mind... and he said it! At moments like this, you know why you bet your life on this person. I am the dreamer and he keeps me grounded. He is the minder worrying for all of us, and I am the child in the family chasing away the worry "bubbles."


In the winter I rarely go out venturing in the backyard, but the trees - standing firm in the cold - never fail to reassure me that all is well... and that the spring and the summer will come bringing back to life my blissful little haven worth living for!!!



I am my-mother's daughter, the dreaming child chasing after bubbles and butterflies!





Copyright © 2009 VeerajaR

Birds In My Backyard Amazon!

To my two favorite students: my mother-in-law who is my star student in bird-watching and
my niece who is my favorite A-Honors art student!
It is not the Amazon; this Red-Capped Sap-Sucker was checking me while I was reading in the hammock under the trees in the backyard.


This is my mother-in-law's (my second mummy) favorite spot to read during her summer visits. The temperature is at least 10 to 15 degrees lower under this green canopy compared to the grassy areas under the hot sun. The breeze and bird songs will lull you to sleep like a child in the hammock!


I am sure you can spot the "Red-Capped" bird pecking on the tall trunk of the tree on the right!

Relax & Enjoy!


More birds are on the way!



Copyright © 2009 VeerajaR

Miraculous Comeback 2009

An Answer to my prayer of May 9th!!!

Copyright © 2009 by VeerajaR
All Rights Reserved.

Sunshine was Her Face

Wisdom wrinkled surface-glowing
Sunshine was her face!
I wish I had asked her name
Although she's not a person of fame!

With a nod she smiled-as
She pushed cart full of groceries,
Wisdom of life out poured –as
She may hold the key to paradise!

I could not but look back-as
The petite old figure tackled a
Cart full of burden-as a
Bouquet... fresh from the garden!


Do I know her?
Have you seen her?


Copyright © by VeerajaR 2009. All Rights Reserved.

I Do know Her!

I wish I had asked her-what
Secret she held that
Delivers a big smile
Despite the burdens piled!


And skips on her steps could
Be that of a ten year old
Skipping along not fearing-the
Impending burden she’d be bearing!

With a nod in my dream she smiled
What you saw will be you my child.
You’d have hurdled life's race- in
Wonder of God’s Grace-she said!

Sunshine on her old face-said with
Smile that pierced earth’s surface,
Perseverance- is the key for bearing
All burdens tackled not fearing!


Copyright © by VeerajaR 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Over the Seas and through the Skype!

Alphbet Art: Funny Faces!


Number Art: Favourite Animals!


Copyright © 2009 by VeerajaR




What a Great Blessing YOU ARE...my kutty niece!


Thanks to SKYPE that we could have such fun...

We used to sing "over the hills & through the woods"

Not Any more!

Now the song should go as " over the internet and through the World Wide Web!"


Unthinkable only 20 years ago... and still unbelievable; but we are having such fun "over the seas and through the SKYPE"


I am sure Mummy-you would have been very proud of your grand daughters. They not only look like you but also have a knack for art & painting. YOU... prevail!!!

If only we had SKYPE-20 years ago- you probably would still be living; it's Ok, I know YOU ARE... with us & watching us, anyway!


-by VeerajaR: I am My Mother's Daughter!

One more Day...!

One more day... I pray, loving God
One Dear soul to spare... my God!

One more day... to be with her
One more word, I yearn to hear
One more laughter yet to share
One more recipe yet to prepare
One more cardinal to watch together
One more hug to cherish forever!

One more day to be with... dear
One, I call mummy- after my
One... passed on to Heaven- rare
One, she called me... her own.
One more day... I pray, each day- for
One dear soul to spare... my GOD!

-by VeerajaR

On Mother's Day, 2009
-Praying for my MOTHER (-in-law), LILY AGNES RAJARATNAM

Copyright © by VeerajaR 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Walk of Fame?

My Mother's Daughter... may be one day!

VeerajaR

Just for YOU

Egg Hoppers... with crunchy wings

Copyright © VeerajaR 2009

All Glory Goes to GOD!

Happy Easter 2009-and

New Year Greetings from Sydney!

Author with her uncle James J. Rajanayagam.

Copyright © 2009 by Veerajar

Probing Ant Hills

Do you know the entrance to ant hills (at least the tiny red ants from the tropics) are closed every night, with a muddy patch?

One early morning, as a child-I saw this muddy patch of an ant hill enclosure/gate. I came running after school to see what happened to it. There was no mud sealing; the entrance was wide open and the tiny ant buddies were busy signaling and seem to be marching in all (eight) directions. I thought, I must have had a dream about ants closing the entrance.

Next morning when I woke up-the thought "the mighty muddy enclosure of the ant hill"- popped up in my mind. I just dumped handful of the tasty pink herbal tooth powder in my palm and ran to the playground. There it was-a fresh new muddy patch covering the entrance to the ant hill.

Trying not to get the tooth powder from my forefinger in my eye-I rubbed my eyes with the back of my right hand and looked again. I was not dreaming. There was no entrance and no ants. But, the muddy patch was there covering the entrance!

I picked up a thin twig and pushed down the muddy patch; instantaneously, the ant soldiers poured out jamming up the entry way, literally looking to tackle the intruder. Wow! Do they even sleep? Now that I have confirmed the existence of a perpetual, nocturnal muddy patch, protecting the fortress of the ants- I began to wonder and ponder upon my next question.

Do the ants ever go to sleep?

I am still not sure; all I know is that- by the Grace of GOD...I am going to Australia!

Copyright © 2009 VeerajaR

I am my-mother's daughter!

Soul... Beaming with JOY!

Sitting leisurely on the porch…
Sipping away the brimming tea,
Shifting into bliss afar
Sensing the aroma … exotic,
Seeping through my soul
Slowly lifting me up!

Soothing notes of thousand
Song bird calls and
Sweet scents of Honey-suckles
Sweeping through my senses,
Softly lulling me into a…
Swirl of acute awareness!

So far away and tiny
Specks… all big troubles
Seem to shrink- without a
Shrink -and renewed
Soul beaming with joy,
Sipped away the cup of tea!

Copyright © 2008, 2009 by VeerajaR.
All Rights Reserved.


Thanks to Sally Rodes Lee, the sharp literary intellectual who recognized me as a poet in her book "The Spirit of Monterey"; I have finally made my mother very proud!

I am sure my mother's "Soul...Beaming with JOY"- showering her Blessings... on all the living angels who touch my life and making it blissful!

I am my-mothersdaughter!

-VeerajaR

Mummy-My ever present motivator!

I must have been born with this- inquiring mind with an instinct for exploration or it could all be because of our “one of a kind Mummy.” You decide!

At school everyone knew her as a very strict and stern “no nonsense” kind of teacher. She was even stricter with us, her own children. We, especially I- the dreamer, probably got spanking almost everyday. But she was a lot of fun and enjoyed life, like a child.

Mummy always asked us questions and then would tell us -- me and my brother-- the facts or stories behind the questions she posed. These topics were as wide as the universe and deeper than the sea. She did not hesitate to instill in us, respect for others' religious faiths.

There were times mummy just posed the question and let our imagination run wild. When I was only in Grade-3, she had asked me "do you think you can say your religon is better than others' faith, when you do not know anything about their religion?" That started me on a never ending quest for knowledge! I remember reading my classmates' Hinduism text books and trying to learn what it is all about, which I still do. Surprisingly, while I have developed great appreciation for Hindu faith and ancestral customs, my faith in Christ has strengthened further over the years. I will be successful as a mother, if I could motivate my kids 10% of how mummy motivated and inspired us to respect others.

Mummy never made us sit and study or interrupted our endless, 24/7 playtime. She was smarter than that!

I remember the one hour bus ride going to grandma’s house; me and my brother would have read every movie poster and advertisement we saw as fast as we could or counted the bicycles and cars that we passed by. She was constantly sharpening our brains--without us even realizing--brushing up our reading and math skills. My brother could do math in his sleep; he never enjoyed reading. But, reading stories and reciting poetry with my mom are among my cherished memories. She fed us tonics and vitamins, made sure we drank our daily glass of milk and had a good night sleep-especially, before exam days.

As mischievous and playful as we were…, we still understood Mummy’s higher standards of expectations and knew we had to be the best we can be. I am sure we measured up to her standards and fulfilled her dream--she had for us.

I still strive for the best in everything I do; I have no choice. I constantly feel her presence, cheering on and challenging me to do the best and to be the best I can be. It is a comfort zone for me!

I am my-mother's daughter!

-by VeerajaR

Oscar Honor for Tamil

Not one-but two Oscar awards
for a son of Tamil.
Love I chose over hatred-all
Glory goes to GOD said A.R. Rahman-in
Our Mother tongue-in
Honey sweet Tamil for the
Whole world to hear
loud and Clear!


"Blessed are the meek"

I am my-mothersdaughter

Inauguration Day, 2009

What could be perfect
than this very day?
What could be wrong-
with the world...
this very moment?
When History is unfolding...
moment by moment,
This very day-
that fervent Dream... in King's
Vibrant Voice... for
An exemplary Nation-of
All men made equal; Humanity's
zealous moment- Now,
sealed in History alive...
with the forty fourth President!

Copyright © 2009 by VeerajaR. All Rights Reserved.

I am my-mothersdaughter

A BLESSED NEW YEAR...for PEACE

Sayings of Mother Teresa



If you Judge People, You have no time to love them.



From “The Little Book of Mother Teresa” -by Sangeet Duchane


How true...! Life is too short to waste time on negativity.
Let LOVE & PEACE... rule our life, from this moment...
from this New Year onwards!

Let each one of us say...
"Let PEACE begin with me..."
and of course try!!!

Million such vow make million x million Peace

VeerajaR