I’ve never claimed an understanding of poetry and have never had any affection for it either, but once in a while some bits catch my attention. Verse, lyrics, any other form…
The dawn rouses one man to acquire wealth
Another to earn food, another to achieve greatness
Another to sacrifices, another to his own (pursuits)
Another to activity, and lights all men
to their various means of maintaining life
Ushas (dawn) has given back all the regions
People say I’m crazy doing what I’m doing
Well they give me all kinds of warnings to save me from ruin
When I say that I’m o.k. well they look at me kind of strange
Surely you’re not happy now you no longer play the game
For how long a period is it that the dawns have risen?
for how long a period will they rise?
Still desirous to bring us light Ushas (dawn)
Pursues the functions of those that have gone before, and
Shining brightly, proceeds with the others (that are to follow)
People say I’m lazy dreaming my life away
Well they give me all kinds of advice designed to enlighten me
When I tell them that I’m doing fine watching shadows on the wall
Don’t you miss the big time boy you’re no longer on the ball
Ah, people asking questions lost in confusion
Well I tell them there’s no problem, only solutions
Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I’ve lost my mind
I tell them there’s no hurry
I’m just sitting here doing time
Gone are the men who in the days before us
Looked on the rising of the earlier mornings
We, we the living now, behold her brightness
And they come nigh who shall hereafter see her
I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
Now the fun is, most of you would have realised that stanzas 2, 4 and 6 are Lennon’s classic ‘Watching the Wheels‘, and the rest? Stanza 1 is the Rigveda Mandala 1 Sukta 113 verse 6; stanza 3 verse 10 (both translations by H.H.Wilson) and stanza 5 verse 11 (translation by Ralph Griffith). 🙂
until next time, more per verse 🙂