ODE TO ASANA
(Books consulted for asana names: Classical Hatha Yoga; First Steps to Higher Yoga; Gheranda Samhita; Hatha Ratna Avali; Light on Yoga; The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace)
Just look at all these asanas!
Who’d ever guess so many was?
There’s Mountain, Diamond, Moon and Tree
There’s Frog and Locust, Lotus, Bee.
There’s Dog and Rabbit, Cat and Mouse
The Fish’s Lord and Indra’s spouse
There’s Monkey Chief and Wolf and Deer
There’s Hero, Baby, Dancer, Seer.
There’s those who scare us with their style
Like Scorpion or Crocodile ...
Or who like Snail and Tortoise beat
A hasty into shells retreat.
There’s Lion, Tiger, Bear, oh my!
A bovine Face and Firefly
A Hare, a Snake, a Goat, an Ant
A Bull, a Horse, an Elephant.
And birds? They put on quite a show:
There’s Rooster, Parrot, Cuckoo, Crow
Yes, hear them twitter, coo, and squawk
There’s Crane and Pigeon, Vulture, Hawk.
They gabble, whistle, chatter, cluck
There’s Ostrich, Sparrow, Goose, and Duck
And Eagle, Peacock, Heron, Swan
The flocks of yogic Audubon.
There’s man-made stuff to keep us loose:
A Plow, a Scale, a Staff, a Noose
A Bridge, a Bed, and Half-a-Boat
(However does it stay afloat?)
A Wheel, a Ball, a Bell, a Lamp
A Trumpet, Swing, a Flag, a Clamp
A Gate Latch, Girdle, Goblet, Tank
A Yoke, a Wagon, Scissors, Plank.
And if you want to fight us, Bub?
We’ve got an Axe, a Mace, a Club
We warn you that we have no fear
Not with Arrow, Trident, Spear.
There’s Fortunate and Brave and Fierce
There’s one’s that Steady, Firm, and Pierce
But some of them ... we’re not so sure
Like Headless, Celibate and Pure.
They’re East and West, and in a knot
They’re twisted, straight and in a squat
Face up and down and on the side
(For this we’re getting certified?)
They’re pendulous and in a split
They go one way, then opposite
On elbows, shoulders, knees and head
And in the end ... we fall down dead.
Don’t worry though, we’re soon awoke
We’re just pretending that we croak ...
Now class is done, at last we’re free
Just don’t forget the teacher’s fee.
Just look at all these asanas!
Who’d ever guess so many was?
There’s Mountain, Diamond, Moon and Tree
There’s Frog and Locust, Lotus, Bee.
There’s Dog and Rabbit, Cat and Mouse
The Fish’s Lord and Indra’s spouse
There’s Monkey Chief and Wolf and Deer
There’s Hero, Baby, Dancer, Seer.
There’s those who scare us with their style
Like Scorpion or Crocodile ...
Or who like Snail and Tortoise beat
A hasty into shells retreat.
There’s Lion, Tiger, Bear, oh my!
A bovine Face and Firefly
A Hare, a Snake, a Goat, an Ant
A Bull, a Horse, an Elephant.
And birds? They put on quite a show:
There’s Rooster, Parrot, Cuckoo, Crow
Yes, hear them twitter, coo, and squawk
There’s Crane and Pigeon, Vulture, Hawk.
They gabble, whistle, chatter, cluck
There’s Ostrich, Sparrow, Goose, and Duck
And Eagle, Peacock, Heron, Swan
The flocks of yogic Audubon.
There’s man-made stuff to keep us loose:
A Plow, a Scale, a Staff, a Noose
A Bridge, a Bed, and Half-a-Boat
(However does it stay afloat?)
A Wheel, a Ball, a Bell, a Lamp
A Trumpet, Swing, a Flag, a Clamp
A Gate Latch, Girdle, Goblet, Tank
A Yoke, a Wagon, Scissors, Plank.
And if you want to fight us, Bub?
We’ve got an Axe, a Mace, a Club
We warn you that we have no fear
Not with Arrow, Trident, Spear.
There’s Fortunate and Brave and Fierce
There’s one’s that Steady, Firm, and Pierce
But some of them ... we’re not so sure
Like Headless, Celibate and Pure.
They’re East and West, and in a knot
They’re twisted, straight and in a squat
Face up and down and on the side
(For this we’re getting certified?)
They’re pendulous and in a split
They go one way, then opposite
On elbows, shoulders, knees and head
And in the end ... we fall down dead.
Don’t worry though, we’re soon awoke
We’re just pretending that we croak ...
Now class is done, at last we’re free
Just don’t forget the teacher’s fee.
