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Quest

A church in Kerala


Somewhere in the gloom
God took flesh upon himself
He washed its feet
fed the spirit’s hunger
and went to hang himself
On a cross.

Flesh haunts flesh
As the cross haunts God
To be nailed to each other:

The eternal quest.

I wrote this poem about 20 years ago.  In those 20 years I came across very many people who were affiliated to different religions.  Some of them tried much to infuse me with their fervour and verve.  Nothing has changed a bit.  Neither me nor them.  The quest of each is different.  And that's an eternal quest.  Even God is helpless.

Comments

  1. Ila VarmaDecember 22, 2015 at 9:04 AM

    Difference in perception of individuals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalDecember 22, 2015 at 9:42 AM

      Indeed. Plus the eternal conflict between the spirit and the flesh.

      Delete
  2. UnknownDecember 22, 2015 at 10:37 AM

    Probably how one deals with this conflict between spirit and flesh is the test that people are subjected to.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalDecember 22, 2015 at 12:55 PM

      Blessed are those for whom the conflict is not a serious issue.

      Delete
  3. KalpanaDecember 22, 2015 at 11:11 AM

    Really enjoyed your poem Matheikal and the thoughts you have about it now. Of course it is the difference in perception of what we know we need to do and how we feel about it. As well as finding a balance between the two. I'm more interested in how this battle of the self with the self, which is such a private affair, has become the business of organised religion. Bizarre.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalDecember 22, 2015 at 12:59 PM

      It's because religion plays multiple roles in a person's life. A source of identity, truth, community feeling... Often religion has little to do with spirituality for the majority. Rather rituals substitute for spirituality.

      Delete
  4. Rakhi JayashankarDecember 22, 2015 at 11:42 AM

    Your success lies in the fact that you did not change.

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownDecember 22, 2015 at 9:23 PM

    nice poem

    ReplyDelete
  6. sunaina sharmaDecember 24, 2015 at 6:11 PM

    Wasn't the'seeker' in the poem 'Seekers' a little more blessed to have found that contentment? It was good he didn't 'open his eyes' and just embraced the 'touch'. I read the two poems together and was struck by this thought.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalDecember 24, 2015 at 6:34 PM

      True, Sunaina, though being blessed is also a subjective contentment. For a god the flesh would be a curse from which he has to deliver himself as quickly as possible. A man can afford the little comforts like in 'Seekers.'

      Delete
  7. HaddockDecember 25, 2015 at 11:29 PM

    Even God is helpless..... worth pondering.

    ReplyDelete

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