From the silence of darkness to the bang of blinding light
Freezing, frigid cold clashing with the burning, blazing heat
Enormous, absolute zero pushing infinity beyond meaning
Expanse of galaxies reaching into intricate webs of DNA
The hot sun, cool moon, trembling stars, and cosmic quiescence
Spatial constellations, orbiting terrestrials, everlasting emptiness
Milky ways, meteors, comets, and collage of vague unknowns
Morning stillness, soothing breezes, gales, and twisting tornadoes
Red sunsets, dark eclipse, blue skies, white snowy hilltops
The seasons, rainbows, blooming buds, and the butterflies
Glaziers, avalanches, stalactites, and endless sweep of deserts
Prairies, jungles, serene lakes, volcanoes, and dazzling waterfalls
The celestial parade punctuating dark expanse of lonely skies
Mountain crowns descending to the depths of oceans
Valorous lightning romancing the vaporous, nebulous clouds
Glowing, lurid lava erupting from the golden, molten peaks
Hues of autumn, radiant dewdrops, and redolence of flowers
Divergent myriad of shapes and natures of Nature’s creations
No two leaves nor plumes alike, each emanating exuberant variance
Prevailing in harmony of balance, stable in contrast of existence
Sharp thorns, soft petals, the fragrance, all meshed in one
Salty waters of the seas and the sweet honey in flowers
Tiny seeds concealing essence erupting into mammoth trees
Throbbing life packaged for ceaseless, rhythmic functions
Make an effort to marvel at the miracle of this cosmic concoction
The concept, origin, purpose, theme, direction, or its fancy notion
Whatever the reason, ritual or significance to make some sense
For logical speculation and a rational role of our immanence
Meaning of existence, with an astute goal or devised definition
Perhaps a chance occurrence versus a focused manipulation
Power that keeps the balance and guides the constant motion
Installing the incessant race, with purpose and flawless precision
Humans may belong to the equation or ensued by freak accident
We may have a role, an occult, inherent undecipherable intent
Are we the glorious feat of Creator or images of Her imprudence?
Brought in to life, to sing Her glory or to destroy, bring it all to ruin
Perceive Creation with purpose and its candid beauty surrounding
Savor the sights, sounds, scents, tastes, and innate feel abounding
Soak up the radiance and brave to figure out the fascinating mystery
Worship the magical endeavor as it may fool the intellect or fade
Pause, ponder, meditate, and offer gratitude for this gift of life,
Model of ultimate perfection enhanced through infinite times
A random gesture, a gleam from the soul, a nod to recognize
The splendor bequeathed, the precious treat kindly conferred
A soul obscure, sheltered within a flimsy and transient frame
Longing to grasp, roaming its free, imaginative reflection
And ruminating over mystic myriads of its fancy hallucination
Imposing a verdict, dictating wisdom of selfish justification
Failing to fathom the beauty in contrast and harmony of variety
Is wasting a lifetime, a gift bestowed with a precious opportunity
Faith is to realize the enormity of evolution and its majestic magnitude
To accept and tolerate with respect all within the realm and far beyond reach
Awaken to comprehend your deep, slumbered senses to reason
Motivate kindness to confer courtesy and compassion all around
Share the favor and freedom to allow all to choose as they please
For each creation has the worth from divinity dwelling within them
Make your sojourn meaningful, ethereal, and ethical as you deem it to
Not out of concern of surveillance nor from fear of being penalized
Just to satiate own conscience, the unforgiving, scrupulous monitor
Whom if you disregard, you have squandered your existence in vain.
(May 1, 2003)
Dr. Venugopal Menon's 'Thoughts of a Lifetime' 