Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar Poems

Once streams, now they are drains.
Once rivers, now they are drains.
Sewage goes from where water comes.
Excreta go from where water comes.
...

Narcissists are obsessed with their looks.
Narcissism has six ugly tentacles.
The inability to process the shame
And thinking that they can do no wrong
...

You must be such as you respect yourself.
You must be such as you value yourself.
You must be such as you look at yourself.
Virtues in you fetch you virtues from others.
...

One thinks that one deserves
The credit one has got.
The one thinks one deserves not
The blame one was assigned to.
...

Mind is talked about but not located.
Heart is talked about but not ascertained.
Ghosts are talked about but not captured.
God is talked about but in ‘faith' bracket.
...

Most of the miseries that come
Are from the ones we've entertained.
God thus punishes the people
By giving them they wanted most.
...

Without light, sight is no use.
Without sight, light is no use.
Eyes give sight and sight, insight.
Without insight, sight is blind.
...

Parents' sway is in children's listening.
Umpires ruling is in players' willing.
Judges' power is in the rulers' responding.
Unless they are heard, chaos will rule.
...

The plant we grow into a tree
Can give yields or fail and the yield
High or low and the taste sweet or sour.
Joy and sorrow are in store unknown.
...

The marriage is to sanction the union.
The birthday is to declare the parenthood.
Children's weddings are parents' vanity.
Parties are to flaunt the style of living
...