åratī

An åratī of You O Lord
the heart sings in a silent tone
through anguish deep
and follies steep
it beseeches You to let your shade
fall on this troubled soul

Your goodness O holy One
alone is grace to
this disgraced one
at night kneeling by the God’s light
there’s little joy in this closed heart
not tonight

Not always have I said my prayers
as sincerely as I’d have You believe
I’ve sung those verses
in your praise
but I’ve not really
learnt a thing

In words as plain as day
I say
this heart loses its faith
not in You
never in You
just in life’s randomness

I see how every good
flows from You
it washes over sorrow like
a fresh coat of paint
I hear the good in You sing
to all that’s not so good in me

For never have these hands been
raised in surrender
to a being as gentle as You
it’s to your beloved form
the heart sings an åratī
It’s only befitting that it is so

In the sincere depths
of the lost soul
grave sorrows call out to You
seeking an audience
for only the sunshine of your grace
dull the harsh winter’s whip

In all these years there was none
for whom an åratī could be sung
until You came
it was merely a song
a ritual long
it’s You who breathed life into it

The åratī is no åratī
if there’s no Sri or Hari in it
and the åratī is no åratī
without your beautiful face to it
compelling in your kindness
unfailing in your goodness…unwavering unflinching