March 9, 2011

The Power of Words

What is poetry
But a stringing of words
that puts on a different mask with every reader

What is a paragraph
But a stringing of sentences
that sometimes is the window into the writer's thoughts

What is a story
But a whole new world,
created by the words of the writer and perceived by the imagination of the reader

What are words spoken from the mouth
Soulless without the emotions of the heart

Some forms of word are the possessors of a one way ticket
Once departed they never return

Words, most target the mind
on the command of the commander
but when the words rebel and take a detour to the heart
The commander is only left with the options of rejoicing or regretting

Word in all their immortal forms
whether poems, paragraphs, stories or speech
Soulless or brimming with life
are the catalyst of thoughts

Words can make the strong stronger
and also the weak weaker
The commander can only control the words
not the perception of them
not the comprehension of them
not the reactions to them

But the commander's power adequate
for brighting faces and lightening hearts
and also avoiding the wrong words from transforming into swords
that pierce deep into susceptible hearts.

So does the commander plan to be reckless and send sword transformers without remorse but an after taste of regret
or be wise with his selection of troops and their dispatching ?

We are all commanders but the question is, are we all good commanders?

13 comments:

  1. hmmm .
    thoughtful , dont know if my mask is same as your face ?

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  2. Words indeed put on different masks, making the world tricky as well as delightful.

    In a way all poetry is an attempt to seek a heart similar to the poet's so that the string of words convey the same rhythm.

    In Malayalam we have the beautiful word 'Sahridayan' which means similar-hearted.

    One of "Sugathakumari's famous poems begins with the line, "Samaanahridaya, ninakkaayi paadunnen..." (To you, O' similar-hearted, I sing...")

    She acknowledges that the 'similar-hearted' may be some obscure non-entity, but he is the one she targets.

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  3. One word about your new design. It looks psychedelic enough for your age. Young people like us may find it okay. But old folks like your dad might find it difficult to read the words.

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  4. It is as you say, poetry does seek a similar heart because only then does the message that the poet intended to convey via his/her poem is truly understood.
    Thanks for enlightening me about that.
    As for my blog's new design. Thanks for pointing that out. I had already noticed it but the variety of blog designs and options offered in Blogger make the job of changing it quite time consuming. But now that you have pointed it out I take it more seriously, I think changing the font colour would be enough to deal with the issue.

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  5. "It is as you say, poetry does seek a similar heart because only then does the message that the poet intended to convey via his/her poem is truly understood."

    The way you use the word 'understand' is a good example of a word putting on different masks. Poetry is not often 'understood' as the word's literal meaning suggests. It is like someone sitting close to you gives out a sigh. You don't understand it, yet you imbibe the feeling.

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  6. You are right, the more appropriate word would be 'interpret'. Poetry is often interpreted in so many different ways because of a general difference in opinion, thats what I meant by the line the words in poetry put on a different mask with each reader. But ultimately the writer meant to convey particular message or messages through their words and it is only with 'a similar heart' who get closest to 'understanding' that message.

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  7. @Marinela Reka
    Thank you so much! =D ^_^

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  8. You may be interested to go through this write up by an internationally known poet, a Malayalee by birth.

    http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19032

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  9. Thank you for the link. I am going through it now!

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  10. You will also like this audio link. Please share this with your dad too.

    http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15717

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  11. 'Road Not Taken' Robert Frost.... I have read this one before, its something everyone can relate to at some point of time or the other. I liked the audio clip. Thanks for the link! =D I have shared it with dad! =)

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