|| SHREENIVASI ||

The poet Shreenivasi has

sown in his native land

word seeds.

In his poems he

has revived Suriname

feeding it

his heart's blood.

Suriname is growing

older in the land

of Suriname

In his poem Shreenivasi

is young at eighty five

like a tiller with

his plough on his shoulder.

At the river-bank in New Amsterdam

the poet stands holding

the aakaashdeep of poem

the compassionate eye

of his picture has ink

for his new poem.

Like the trees at

the turning into jungle

New Amsterdam bank

that have known and lived

pain for ages his poem

stands tall.

Like his poems the

birds have created on branches

new plants…new creepers….new roots

and new nests.

In days past canons

that fought like mothers

on the side of the motherland

on this same beach

now lie quiet resting

their heads on their

children's shoulders.

Like the sentry at

the police- post at the

beach stands Shreenivasi's poem

a weapon drawn for the motherland.

Poetry is the monument

of New Amsterdam

the logo of Suriname

along the flag of the

police-post waves

the banner of poetry.