A cold heart cannot rehearse 
  Or learn the language of love true;
  In spiteful venom will it curse
  So bitterness may simmer and brew.

  A closed heart will not allow
  To share its misgivings, joy and pain,
  For a closed heart knows only how
  To ask the question: "what do I gain"?

  The miser considers himself wise
  Finding petty pleasure in being small
  Will he in the new world realize...
  He has left behind his wealth and all?

  The Preacher at large will toast and boast
  Raving about vedas and simplicity,
  But come service time like some ghost
  He dodges work with felicity.

  Alas, practical service, I must opine
  Like largesse is well on the decline
  Goodness to madness near aligned
  Is the prevailing dogma well defined.

  So, the burning question remains, I confess:
  Pray, what do we stand to gain in the process?

  Albeit not a translation, the above English variation was inspired by the 
following original Tamil verse by veNbA virumbi.

Rajeshwari Iyer

Rajeshwari Iyer lives in Brampton, Ontario and teaches Chemistry at the College/University level in Toronto. She is the mother of a special needs child and enjoys reading, music and travel. She has contributed poems to SAWF (South Asian Women's Forum), Magazines such as KALA, Marina, quarterly publications based in Toronto. She has also contributed to e-zines such as Poetry.com, Thinnai, and Tamilonline.