Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Yoga / Hindu : Shaivite (Shiva)

12th Century

About Akka Mahadevi

Timeline (12th Century)

Akka Mahadevi, Akka Mahadevi poetry, Yoga / Hindu, Yoga / Hindu poetry, Shaivite (Shiva) poetry, [TRADITION SUB2] poetry, poetry

<<Previous Poem | View All Poems by Akka Mahadevi | Next Poem >>

English version by
A. K. Ramanujan

Original Language
Kannada

What do the barren know

Themes

Pain and Wounding

Recommended Books

	Sacred Voices: Essential Women's Voices Through the Ages, Edited by Mary Ford-Grabowsky
	The Shambhala Anthology of Women's Spiritual Poetry, Edited by Aliki Barnstone
	Speaking of Siva, by A K Ramanujan
	Women Writing in India: 600 BC to the Present: Volume 1, Edited by Susie Tharu / Edited by K. Lalita

What do
the barren know
of birthpangs?

Stepmothers,
what do they know
of loving care?

How can the unwounded
know the pain
of the wounded?

O lord white as jasmine
your love's blade stabbed
and broken in my flesh,

I writhe.
O mothers
how can you know me?

-- from Speaking of Siva, by A K Ramanujan

Amazon.com

<<Previous Poem | View More Poems by Akka Mahadevi | Next Poem >>

Please support the Poetry Chaikhana, as well as the authors and publishers of sacred poetry, by purchasing some of the recommended books through the links on this site. Thank you!

Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

About Akka Mahadevi

Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World