Kala Ramesh is a performing vocalist in Indian Classical Music. She has given many concerts in India and has published several articles on Indian Music and Indian Thought. Kala has taught creative art in schools and conducted workshops for children for The Times of India, in their NIE program.
A musical note lives for a moment and fades into the void . . .
that sacred silence. And Hindustani music being completely extempore - is as fresh as a just bloomed lily. Being very similar in form, music attracted Kala to Haiku and Tanka. In all three, she believes there is a resonance that lingers in the spirit long after the sound has faded. Her work has appeared in leading Haiku magazines abroad - like Frogpond, Bottle Rockets, Simply Haiku, Ribbons, Lock Raven Review, Mainichi Daily News- Japan, World Haiku Review and Tinywords.


Haiku and Indian Music



from the sparrow's

tiny lung a resonant call

-basant



the moving hand

holds high in music

the perfect sur



eagles a mere speck . . .

sapaat tans begin their climb

-morning concert



(sapaat tans are straight tans, generally covering three octaves)



leaves glimmer

drips in malhaar tans

the raga



breezy warm breath

against the leaves -

malkauns in the air



swaras alone

together in a kriti

-milky way





Tanka



i look at the blue sea

and the blue sky

in wonder-

and gently

they turn into night




mutely facing

the word 'sorry'

so much between us

all we need to do . . .

look into each other's eyes?





the moon runs

unwilling to compete

i avert my face

and see him race me

in the canal




my father's

new dentures

but . . .

the smile is also

new



mid-morning sun

bright

and hurting . . .

leaves become

a different green





peals and peals

of laughter

from the apartment below

- will my kids

ever have time for me?





a wish

and a wish

and a . . .

never ending

- a forest fire

###

strains of the violin

- the old man walks

to his own rhythm




darkening sky . . .

the snake curves

into my path