Wonder why clouds wander so much across the skies?
Is it because they have lost track of where they belong?
Maybe they cry because they are so lost...
Maybe that is what rain is!

This is just a short excerpt from a movie song called "Ilaya Nila" (Young moon) by Kaviarasu Kannadasan, which I have traslated to the best of my ability. It sounds much better in Tamil, of course, and to complete the beauty of the song, it is sung by a lilting, young SPB, who kinda plays with the words. The way in which Kannadasan has taken off from something as simple as clouds scurrying across the sky caught my imagination.

Kannadasan has been heralded as one of the greatest and most influential writers in the Tamil language. He is best known for his song lyrics in Tamil films and contributed around 5000 lyrics besides 6000 poems and 232 books, including novels, epics, plays, essays, his most popular being the 10-part religious essay on Hinduism.

This is from his official site, but it captures his essence very well:
"He is supposed to have 'dipped into' everything that Tamil Nadu could offer - wine, women, drugs, politics, polemics, atheism and religious sanctuary. After enjoying everything, what he did was remarkable - he composed verses about all his experiences, with reflective self-deprecating humour, irony, and biting sarcasm".

He had 3 wives and 13 kids.. Phew!! No wonder he could write so much about women!!

:)