A POEM
Dr. C. Narayana Reddy
Meet a drop of water to see the depth of the sky.
Meet a piece of stone to know the quality of the jewel
Does not an Atom reveal what cosmos is
Meet a mass of ice too see a silent sculpture
Meet a lump of earth to know the root of the Man.
Which runs after you like a Shadow. Is a true repute
Which humbles the embrace of Death, Is an everlasting repute
Do not care for the acclaim which, Drums and money get for you
Clean repute is that which blossoms, Out of deep mud
Pure repute is that which emerges, Out of fire
How can the candle emit light, unless it melts
How does a stone give birth to a sculpture unless it is chiselled,
Result comes out of a radical change alone
How does a cloud form, unless the water evaporates
How does a dance appeal, unless the foot strains.
Hope is a rain drop on the surface of desert blowing hot winds
Hope is a blade of grass over the tomb with hovering death
World gets suffocated if hope does not exist
Hope is the pole star to the eye of the sky with light lose
Hope is a wing to the body grieving with sides broken.
He, who knows the mind, is an enlightened one
He, who knows himself, is a Philosopher
Where are the limits for perfect knowledge
He, who disclaims knowledge whatsoever, is a sage
He, who claims complete knowledge, is a trifler.
(Translated from Telugu by G.
Ramakrishna Rao)