BEYOND THE OBVIOUS

ABOUT THE POEM:

This is a translated version of an overwhelmingly impressive poem from Tamil literature“The best journey takes you home”.It is about what the husband said to his friend on the successful completion of his mission. He fondly recalls the anxiety of his wife after hearing the news of his coming back home after accomplishing his task. In the course of the poem, his imagination runs riot and he says that she will tell her friend the speed with which he will travel back home in his chariot and the way it rattles the deer in the vicinity. The poem is elegant and exquisite in its exposition that the best journey takes you home and brings home the fact that East or West Home is Best.

“THE BEST JOURNEY TAKES YOU HOME”

Come on rider,

let the horses gallop

to arrive home before it is dark

My pretty spouse pitiable though,

Keep on guard for my arrival

with an inkling

clasping her shimmering bracelets

to keep them from jingling

living in our magnificent manor

languishing and looking down the lane

deeply distressed  in her heart,

She will  be telling  her friend,

My dear spouse

directing his chariot

the rider controlling the reins,

the horses fast like the wind,

dashing

gasping hot air

grunting like the howls

in a blacksmith’s furnace

with froth on their mouths

like the foam on churned milk,

its little beads dissipating

like spider web strings

some of them smudging

his chest covered with sandalwood paste

the chariot passing

through the tranquil land

refreshed by cool air

Sports a look of grandeur,

fleet-footed deer

escaping in dread

of the shattering wheels

with spiraling spokes

scuttling through the sand

with an air of commotion,

resembling the sound

of the grindstone

when the mistress of the house,

mashes dried rice headlong,

he will arrive home before long.

(what the husband said to his friend on the successful completion of his mission )

SHOPPING - PAYING FOR SHOPPING - PART ONE

account

a licensing agreement that someone has with a bank to keep cash intact and withdraw at times of necessity

afford

to acquire adequate resources or funds to carry out an action or purchase

banknote

a bill in hard copy

barcode

a design that appears on products purchased and consists of thick and thin lines. It has data that a computer can decode

bill

a statement of your payment to another party for services or products

cash

coins or notes that denote the  value of the currency

cash and carry

a major wholesale company that offers large quantities of merchandise to other business customers at affordable pricing in exchange for payment and the right to choose the commodities themselves.

cashback

the section in a business where the customer pays for the objects they have purchased

cash desk

an area in a store where one pays for the products they have purchased

cash register

a device used in supermarkets, hotels and other businesses for depositing money that indicates and records the amount of money generated for each product purchased and sold

change

to convert money into another country's currency

charge

to charge a certain amount of money for products or services

cheap

less expensive than the customer anticipated; costing substantially less

check card

a plastic card that permits the bearer to transfer payments from their bank account to pay for products and services

cheque

a printed document on which the bearer can write the name of the payee and approve to pay the cash  instead of using currency

coin

a token of some monetary value made of a small, flat piece of metal

cost

to calculate the amount of money needed for something or the appropriate price to charge for something

couponing

the act of accumulating and applying discount coupons to save money on purchases of products or services

credit

a deal  made, for instance, with a store, to pay for something that one purchase at a  later date agreed upon mutually by the customer and the store

credit card

a tiny plastic card that facilitates the future purchase of goods and services

credit note

a letter that a store delivers after the customer returns something and authorises them to interchange it for goods of equivalent worth

ABOUT THE POEM:

This is a translated version of an overwhelmingly impressive poem from Tamil literature, A TRUANT LOVER. It is about what the girl’s friend said to the lover asking him not to make the girl fret and fume over his truancy and condemns unequivocally his fancy to keep her in a permanent state of anxiety about the safety of her lover. In the course of the poem, the girl’s companion elaborates on the enchanting place of the lover and the hazardous journey with its impending dangers, which the lover has to undertake en route to reach the girl’s place.

A TRUANT LOVER

On the mountain cliffs,

where the clouds cluster

and make fun and frolic

like mounds of cotton string

made by old maids.

Jackfruits hanging

from the cranky trunks

of the zigzag old trees

are enormous and expansive.

The folks inhabiting the slopes

tilling the rough soil

for their livelihood.

The lively little girl of a hillman

nurturing a dark-fingered monkey

with a feast of jackfruit

young fellow, of these mountains

you are an expert in love,

yet, you are not a laudable man

you keep my friend

forever in grip of fear

worrying for your security.

For the ways by which you cross

the slopes in the wee small hours

are loaded with hazards.

A triumphant elephant

after a successful combat

tramples a tiger to death,

rumbles in rage rampantly

trumpeting like thunder.

(what the girl’s friend said to the lover asking him not to make the girl fret and fume over his truancy)

TRANSPORT BY AIR - PLANE TRAVEL - PART SIX

soar

to ascend effortlessly into the air quickly

sonic boom

a sound mimicking an explosion  that is generated when a plane flies faster than the velocity of sound

stack

multiple aircraft hovering above an airport and  waiting for their turn to land

standby

a reserved ticket for a flight that cannot be purchased beforehand and is only available for a brief period of time before the plane departs

stopover

a brief halt between two parts of a journey

tailspin

a condition in which a pilot loses control of an aircraft, causing it to turn round and round as it nosedives to the ground, with the rear making larger circles than the front.

take-off

the point at which a plane takes off from the ground and commences to fly

taxi

to travel gently across the landing strip before takeoff or after  landing

test flight

a flight used to test an aircraft or a specific piece of equipment in the flight

ticket

a small sheet of paper that authorises the bearer to have a claim to admittance and grants the right to travel on a specific bus, train, or other modes of transportation, or a message or image received on the individual's phone or computer to authenticate the person the right to travel

touch down

to make contact with the airstrip as the aircraft lands,

tourist class

the least expensive option for travel aboard a ship, aeroplane, or  lodging in a hotel

transit

the process of passing through a location on the way to another location

travel sickness

the uncomfortable sensation of having to travel in a vehicle that triggers a nauseating feeling of being about to vomit

turbulence

a sequence of swift, forceful changes in the direction of air or water flow.

upgrade

to provide someone with a fancier aeroplane seat, hotel room, etc. than what the traveler has actually paid for

window seat

a seat on a plane, train, or other modes of transport that is close to a window.

ABOUT THE POEM:

This is a translated version of a mind-blowing poem from Tamil literature,“LOVE: A TEMPORARY INSANITY….” It is about what a girl told her lover worrying about the safety of her lover. In the course of the poem she attests to his bravery but at the same time, she could not but worry about the treacherous jungle with its in-built dangers. The title of the poem is an inspiration from Ambrose Bierce’s quotable quote:“ LOVE: A TEMPORARY INSANITY, CURABLE BY MARRIAGE. ”

“LOVE: A TEMPORARY INSANITY….”

A wild pig

with a prickly and spiky coat

along with his mate

of fat nipples

grazed ravenously

in the millet fields.

A huntsman spotted them

and positioned  him

in a vantage point

in a cavern

and he preyed on the pigs

with his astute archery.

Afterwards in the town

the huntsman’s dark-haired spouse

apportioned the pork

among her folks.

You boast of a bold stock

of mountain descent.

You may not be in the least

be anxious about the nightmarish nights,

or on the other hand the wilderness

and the stream bed

where a furious tusker

waits for combat with a tiger.

I am apprehensive

of your wellbeing

by the very thought of the mountain way

with a plethora of termite hillocks

Accosted by hordes of bears

out to savor them.

(what the girl said to the lover concerned about his safety)

TRANSPORT BY AIR - PLANE TRAVEL - PART FIVE

no-fly zone

an area above a country where international planes are not permitted to fly, especially during a military conflict

on-board

aboard a vehicle, ship, or aeroplane

one-way

that exclusively moves or facilitates movement in one direction

originate

to start at a selected point

overbook

to sell more aircraft tickets than the actual availability of seats

overfly

fly over a particular region

overshoot

to detour beyond where a passenger is intended to leave or alight

parachute  (noun)

a device that is fastened to individuals or items to allow for a slow, safe descent when someone is being dropped from an aeroplane. The parachute is made up of a thin material that spreads out in the air.

parachute  (verb)

the act of using a parachute to jump from an aircraft

passport

a legal document that serves as proof of citizenship and that  needs to be produced when entering or leaving a country

planeload

the maximum number of passengers or cargo that a plane can transport in a scheduled flight

red-eye

a night-time journey in a plane during which the passengers are deprived of adequate sleep

refuel

to refuel a plane, in order to continue with the onward journey

reservation

to reserve a seat  on a train, airline, or in a hotel and by virtue of this it will be the prerogative of the individual to occupy the seat for a definite time frame

return ticket

a ticket for a trip from and to a particular location

round trip

a journey to a location and back

scheduled flight

a scheduled flight that departs every day or every week at precisely the same time

short-haul

that requires moving objects or individuals along short distances, often by air

sick

experiencing travel sickness as a result of having to travel by ship, plane, etc.

single

a single ticket can be used to travel to a particular destination but not return from a location.

TRANSPORT BY AIR - PLANE TRAVEL - PART FOUR

glide

to fly through air currents without the use of an engine or in the case of  the birds' wings being moved

go-around    (or) go-round

a track traveled by a plane after a failed landing attempt in order to place itself for a successful second attempt

hand baggage (American English)

hand luggage   (British English)

small bags that can be carried on an aeroplane by a passenger

in-flight

developed, performed, or offered to be utilized during a journey on an International plane

jet

to travel by jet airplane

jet lag

the state of being exhausted and a little disoriented after taking a long flight, occurs particularly after a long flight through several time zones and is most likely caused by a disruption in the human body's circadian rhythms

land

to glide gently through the air and land on the ground or another surface

landing

a process of returning an aircraft or spaceship to the ground after a scheduled  trip

landing card

a card that airline passengers fill out with personal information and produce to officials upon arrival in a foreign nation

last call

the final request for passengers to board their plane at an airport

log

a record of events in a specific timeframe, particularly during a voyage on a ship or plane

long-haul

including the long-distance transportation of either cargo or people

Mayday

a worldwide radio signal used by ships and aircraft to send distress signals to summon assistance

mid-air  ( noun)

a location in the sky or the air and when the vehicle is not on the land

mid-air    (adjective)

taking place in the sky or the air rather than on the ground

navigate

to use a map or some other device to plan and steer the direction of a ship, aeroplane etc.

ABOUT THE POEM:

It is a translated version of an engrossing poem from Tamil literature, REAL ACCOMPLISHMENT. It is all about what the girl's friend told the deceitful husband. She argues that real accomplishment is not residing in a fertile country where the yield of crops and the availability of seafood are in plenty. Further, she adds riding in speedy chariots and acquiring wealth in abundance are the consequence of past deeds. According to the girl, what the scholars call true achievement is a delicate response to their countrymen's anguish and misery.

REAL ACCOMPLISHMENT

Oh! Laudable lad,

residing in the country

where the farmers

furrow their wet fields

not long after the harvest

to plant seeds for the following season

get back with their seed receptacles

loaded up with fish,

consider my words:

it isn't abundance

to acquire eminence

and ride in speedy chariots

are the consequence of past deeds.

but the scholars call real accomplishment

is a delicate benevolence

to the agony and misery

of their compatriots.

(what the girl's friend told the deceitful husband)

TRANSPORT BY AIR - PLANE TRAVEL - PART THREE

departure

a plane, train, or other modes of conveyance leaving a specific location at a specific time

deplane

to disembark from a plane

descent

a motion of landing down gradually

disembark

to allow or evacuate people especially a ship or an aircraft, at the end of a journey

distress

a condition where a ship, plane, etc. is in trouble or difficulty and needs assistance

ditch

a flight crew abandon an aircraft into the sea in an emergency

dive

to descend through the air abruptly

domestic

of or pertaining to a specific country; not foreign or international

economy class syndrome

the event of a person suffering from deep vein thrombosis after flying because they don't have much legroom to move freely and people who travel in the cheapest seats are thought to be more prone to this condition.

ETA abbreviation

estimated time of arrival

ETD abbreviation

estimated time of departure

e-ticket

a ticket, for instance, a boarding pass, that you purchase over the internet and the soft copy of which is dispatched on your PC or phone and there is no need to carry the hard copy of the ticket

excess baggage

Suitcases, bags and other items brought onto a plane that weighs more than the quantity each passenger is authorized to carry without being charged an additional fee

fare

the amount of money you spend on the bus, plane, taxi, etc., 

first-class

the most highly-priced and finest seats or accommodation facilities on a train, plane, or ship

flight

a journey by or in an aeroplane or spacecraft

flight path

a plane's flight route through the air

fly

to embark on aerial navigation (of an aircraft or a spacecraft)

forced landing

the act of needing to make an emergency landing to prevent an impending disaster

ABOUT THE POEM:

This is a translated version of a captivating poem from Tamil literature, AGONY OF  ESTRANGEMENT. It is about what the lover said to himself about his lover’s predicament as the flora and fauna around her might have reminded of her estrangement from her lover and tanned her skin. He elaborates in the course of the poem that the exquisite things like the torrential rains, sprouting mango trees and cuckoos singing their mating melodies should have aggravated her agony.

AGONY OF  ESTRANGEMENT

The downpours have begun

enabling farmers

in their agricultural labor.

On the stream bed

the dark sand lies delicately soft

The designs on it

apes a snake's stomach.

The dazzling Mango trees are ablaze with green shoots.

Cuckoos roost on them

singing their mating melodies.

Roused by the tilting tune, my darling

will be brooding about me

and cry with overwhelming sadness,

the brilliant spots

on her tanned skin

like pollen lying dispersed

from the Vengai blooms

next to the tapering rocks

(REFERENCE: Pterocarpus marsupium, also known as Malabar kino, Indian kino, Vijayasar, or Venkai is a medium to large, deciduous tree that can grow up to 31 m (102 ft) tall. It is native to India (where it occurs in parts of the Western Ghats in the Karnataka-Kerala region and in the forests of Central India), Nepal, and Sri Lanka.)

Wikipedia contributors. "Pterocarpus marsupium." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 6 Apr. 2022. Web. 1 Jan. 2023.