Vijaya Sundaram

Poet, Musician, Teacher, and Amateur Visual Artist

Jeu Parti

Jeu Parti
©August 29th, 2016
By Vijaya Sundaram

I want an even chance,
Says Man to the Fates
They cluster close, white and black,
They laugh in his face,
As they rattle his bones.

The dice are loaded against you.
No matter what you choose,
You will face us someday. 

But go ahead, 
Hedge your bets. 
You will lose.

_________________________________________

 

 

Jeopardize

An Ode to My Fate (Map of Fate)

An Ode To My Fate (Map of Fate)

(My attempt at a Horatian Ode)

©October 8th, 2015

By Vijaya Sundaram

*Could I hold you aloft in the twilight of love

And trace out your routes with attention, to look

For where softly would land all my dreams, like the dove

From the Ark that found trees like it did in the Book,

I would do so, my Fate, my brooding playmate.

I would look for the paths that you’d lay out for me.

I would take a new route, one that does not exist.

I would fight your pale smile, all your lures, and your bait.

I would build my own boat and I’d put out to sea,

And when I arrive, it’s by you I’ll be kissed.

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This was the assignment (which I’ve condensed into the following three sentences):

Write an Ode.

Use metaphors.

Make it about a map of some sort.

Again, this is the FIRST time I’ve written an Ode, and not just that, but a Horatian Ode (about which I’d known nothing, really).  I looked it up, and found that the rhyme scheme went thus: ab, ab, cde, cde.  I know nothing of the syllable count of Horatian Odes.  I chose my own weird 11-12 syllable count, taking care to make sure the meter sort of stayed the same.

Note:  In the first stanza, I’m using “could” as in, “If I could do …. then I would.”  (I’m using the subjunctive mood.)

I hope you enjoyed this attempt.

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Trajectory

If the arrow of the trajectory that we’re on at this time, had been released at the moment that humans learned to use their hands, was our fate sealed, and can we do anything to avert what looms ahead?

And is part of our fate a matter of questioning it, and trying to avert it and making small adjustments? Does that still fit into the general field of vibration around the trajectory of that arrow?

In which case, does taking action matter?
Does inaction matter?
Does interaction matter?
Does reaction matter?

Ah, yes, weighty matters. Just some ruminations after sitting wiht my daughter in front of the i-Pad, and watching some My Little Pony episodes, none of which had to do with the above thoughts.

 

By Dreamer of Dreams