Maunche Text for Chatricam Meghanta

Chatricam Meghanta has been doing amazing work in medieval Indian poetry.   For her Maunche (East Kingdom grant-level arts award) text, I did not want to do a Western European legal text.

I'm not a poet.   Trying to replicate Tamil poetry, her speciality, seemed a dicey proposition -- so easy to do it completely wrong.   I went back through Megha's own research pages to see if anything really sang to me.  I read a lot of Tamil poetry as well as other medieval Islamic poetry that Megha had posted or referenced.   I began to circle around pieces from the poets Hafez and Rumi, both medieval Persians rather than Indians, but both "poets of the spirit" that I know have great meaning to Megha.

In particular, this poem by Hafez kept insisting that it "belonged" to Megha.

CAST ALL YOUR VOTES FOR DANCING
I know the voice of depression still calls to you.
I know those habits that can ruin your life still send their invitations.
But you are with the Friend now and look so much stronger.
You can stay that way and even bloom!
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun from your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter.
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun from the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved
And, my dear, from the most insignificant movements of your own holy body.
Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins that may buy you just a moment of pleasure,
But then drag you for days like a broken man behind a farting camel.
You are with the Friend now.
Learn what actions of yours delight Him, what actions of yours
Bring freedom and Love.
Whenever you say God's name, dear pilgrim, my ears wish my head was missing
So they could finally kiss each other and applaud all your nourishing wisdom!
O keep squeezing drops of the Sun from your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter and from the most insignificant
movements of your own holy body.
Now, sweet one,
Be wise.
Cast all your votes for Dancing!


The imagery of performance as the act of "squeezing drops of the Sun" was compelling.   My source was chosen.

I set out to write something with the "look and feel" of the Tamil poetry that Megha performs and using Hafez's splendid imagery.  My length was limited to fit how the scribe wanted to use the text, so most of the text ended up being devoted to getting the work of the SCA award process done.  But that is all to the good because I am not naturally a poet and I think more words would have revealed that weakness quite clearly.

I know that Megha likes it, so I succeeded in that most important aspect.  I'm still a little disappointed that I couldn't get the "ears kissing each other in joy at her words" imagery in here, though.


O poet, keep squeezing drops of the Sun from your prayers and work and music and from your companions' beautiful laughter.
O poet, your name is spoken the halls of the wise and the King and Queen would do you honor for your golden words.
O poet, you should wear this Maunche upon your person in all the days coming.
These words were commanded by Brennan and Caoilfhionn, King and Queen, upon 7 April at Quintavia.