To Take Is To Give
"No Loss No Gain" by Rajaram Ramachandran
The candle melts itself,
And the wick burns itself,
Just to give us away its light.
The incense stick ashes itself,
And turns to smoke itself,
Just to give us its aroma.
The sandalwood grinds itself,
And a paste, it becomes itself,
Just to give us away its scent.
The rose crushes itself,
And in water sinks itself,
Just to give us its flavor-drink.
The sugar cane crushes itself,
And becomes crystal itself,
Just to sweeten our food.
The field takes the seeds itself,
And turns them into plants itself,
Just to give us rich corn.
The tree labors itself,
And grows tall itself,
Just to give us its juicy fruits.
The cocoon spins itself,
And then unwinds itself,
Just to give us its silk.
The milk curdles itself,
And again churns itself,
Just to give us its butter.
The mother suffers pain herself,
But still smiles herself,
Just to feed the baby with her milk.
The camphor fumes itself,
And turns black smoke itself,
Just to illuminate the Lord.
One can gain something,
Only by losing something,
That's the law of nature.
Yes, the sacrifice's the mother,
Of what, in our life, we gather,
As the fruit of our labor.
So, grieve not over your loss,
A stepping stone to your success,
If you want to remain happy always.
Ramachandran is an Indian poet who teaches the reader about the giving quality of nature. As trees breathe to lend its air to mankind and other living creatures, the poet’s words allow for an alternative perspective on the qualities of nature.
There are everyday objects that a person comes in contact with. Sometimes, these objects can be taken for granted. However, instead of following this behavior, the poet calls attention to them. By doing so, mundane objects that are normally dismissed are in fact appreciated. Some examples in “No Loss No Gain” are camphor, candles, roses, sugar, mothers, and milk.
The stanza about camphor reminds me of my childhood days. Whenever I had a cough or had trouble sleeping, my mother would take a camphor ball and wrap it in a small piece of cloth. She would pin it to my night garment, and by the next morning I would feel much better. Although I revel in the memory of watching my mother’s deft hands pin a piece of cloth to my undershirt without sticking me or the unforgettable smell of camphor drowning my nose as I drifted off to sleep, what remains in my mind is my mother’s giving nature. It was effortless and sometimes taken for granted, just like nature itself.
The poet makes a point to give thanks to the things mankind may take for granted. The inanimate objects are personified and are ultimately brought to life through the use of active verbs. For example, the poet refers to the sugar cane’s giving in the fifth stanza, “The sugar cane crushes itself.”
This line and the lines following show a pattern. As the poem progresses through its 14th stanza, the subject the poet is referring to becomes increasingly complex and abstract. Ramachandran begins with a candle and by the end of the poem, he makes note of the aspects of life that the reader cannot touch or feel in a physical sense (ie. success and happiness).
This is quite interesting to me. In a way, the poet deliberately puts the prosaic and forgotten objects of life to the forefront as a means to make the reader acknowledge their hidden talents. The candle melts itself. The wick burns itself. The sandalwood grinds itself. The rose crushes itself. The tree labors itself. The milk curdles itself. The key word is “itself.” Nature is aware that in order for life to be continued and created, something must be destroyed. It is a sacrifice that nature willingly takes.
-Kerri Byam
Poem Source: http://naishinnoumouko.tripod.com/id1.html
Image Source: http://www.thegreatillusion.com/mother%20nature%20new.jpg
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