
(The Discourse between Lakshmi and Karya~Jnana )
Twas upon or near the quarter moon
Before Diwali lights shone splendour
And there she rose within the tree that whispered I to I;
As Genii spoke, She were “Lakshmi! what wishes would I surrender,”
Thrice for sure a like the horse and one step ever closer.
“Three wishes then you hold plus one”… that is my way I wander,
Crooked as the meandering woods and broken as the glade.
So thrice the dice be casted and one more can I throw,
The temples of my head grew wide, Karya-Jnana! —that I know
“The first then that you”, I said, “was-want of desires”.
“I care not for these temporal things and less for dreams of liars”
“So second that of wealth! What money cannot buy,
are nature things and listening trees and voices on the breeze.”
“So thrice now is dharma, the life that I must lead,
But I’m a horse broke free from rein and no path shows light to me”
“And what” said Laksmi, “ now must you, forfeit three wishes lost,
but move as one your crooked path and lest as all be done.”
So tiptoe tall stepped left of I and mated to the queen,
The Goddess stood before me now three times, blessed as be.
“Declare upon your toes your wish gained forfeit by else-three”
I said, “it is cessation, of all that I can be”
But! with this nature promised,
then all things cannot sway,
no dance within the hedgerows
No ‘crowning of the May.’
“For want of naught is all I ask,
There’s nothing- that I want-
Just stand with me and watch upon
This strange world that we see.”








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