Hark! The rhythm

Hark! The rhythm. The pellet drum rattles. The dance begins. The creation, the annihilation, the fleeing in-betweens, and beyond these appar...

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The Zephyr


Excited, expectant
And
Countless halts
Before the
Full length mirror
To look
Pretty.
Zillions of zappy moments
Spent in a
Zealous pursuit
Of finding
Success.
Printing
Mini statements
From the ATM
Needlessly
And
Checking them
Over and over again
To account
For
Every single penny
Spent.
Racing against
The clock
And
Work
Consuming
Nights and shifts
And
Weekends too.
Somewhere
In the middle
Of all this
Quandary,
This
Trivia,
You walk
Out
And feel
The zephyr,
You hear
Of
People retiring,
People joining,
People falling sick
And dying
And
It seems
So
Inconsequential.
All this
Running around
In business suits.


Monday, April 29, 2013

Yours, once again!


In the middle
Of files
And papers
And empty coffee cups
He found
That crumpled pamphlet
That had come
Shuffled in the
Very many
Layers of newspaper,
The one
That had come in handy
When he had wanted
To scribble down
The number
From a road side pillar.
“Fresh flowers”
It read.
He was amazed
The way people
Found door
To their dreams.
He smoothened
The wrinkles
From the paper
As he waited
For his call
To connect.
A single red rose
Preferably with
Dew drops
On it
And
Yes, of course
There will be
A message too
“Yours, Once again, Mrs. Smith.”
The order placed,
Mr. Smith wrapped his work
Earlier than usual.
And drove back home.
He had plans for tonight.


Saturday, April 27, 2013

Xeric love


Xeric winds
Brushed her face.
The sun burned
Her skin,
Clothes, damp
With sweat,
Clinged to the skin,
And the envelope
In her hands
Weighed a thousand tonnes.
A one liner
On Hallmark card.
Now,
That was hardly
A way to break-up!
Courtesy,
Perhaps,
Sounded good
Only in dictionaries.
Round the corner
Another hot gust
Caught her.
Summers!
When it
Should be spring!
But then
That’s life.
Ain’t it?
By the time
She reached
Her niche
The xeric feeling
Had spread on
To her whole being.
In the
Incessant hum
Of cooler,
She concluded
Love too
Was xeric.
Promising life,
But,
Leaving behind
Only
Dry, parched souls.


Friday, April 26, 2013

Worth it!


All you need is
A crack in the window
And then
You can’t keep out
The sun
Or
The williwaw.
And
Either way
This whistle-stop tour
Is going to be worth it.
Totally.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Vivaciouspring


The hues of spring
Oh, I find
Them very interesting
Like
Vivid vignettes
Of
Summer
Like
Vivacious dash
Of
Winters
Like
Verdant vantage
Of
Weather
Oh! Look, here it comes
Pirouetting
In
Variegated
Colors
Resting
With
Vibrant verve
In
Every heart.
Spring
You are welcome!

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Undead - or may be not


The write-up is based on a sensitive theme and may be a little disturbing.

..................................

She found it hard to concentrate on teacher’s monologue.
Her mind wandered.
To the ink on her back.
To the damp dungeon.
To the scratching of the pen.
To his fingers tracing the hemlines.
Then the fresh contours.
Then probing further, deeper.
To those seven days.
To the municipal trash-can where they had found her.
With only a mirror in her hand.
She still heard him, all the time
“Mirror mirror on the wall ...
You're the fairest of them all”
She shuddered.
She knew he still haunted the streets out there.
And, all she could do was hate butterflies.


















Under the vast expanse


Under
The vast expanse
There’s lot
Of space
To dwell together
Under
The shade of sun
We
Can feel
The love together
Under
The wandering clouds
We
Can look up
In hope of rain
Together
Under
The star-lit stretch
We
Can catch the fireflies
Together.
Under
The folds of heart
There is lot
That holds us back
From being
Together.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

To you, with love


To you
With love
And with
Lots of blessings
From heavens
Above
That you can
Rise up
With the
First light
And
Catch the
Dancing fireflies.
That smiles
Greet
You every day
And
Hope
Too
Finds its way
That you
Can look at lovely scenes
And then
Close your
Eyes to dream
That
You can
Tend the
Blossoming flowers
And
Reach out
For the stars
That you
Can live
And love
To you
For your spirit
And strife
To stay alive
To you
With lots
Of love
For every
Single breath.



Monday, April 22, 2013

Shadow Shades


In
Shadow shades
Of love,
Radha
Found her refuge.
In
Shadow shades
Of ecstasy,
Meera
Found her salvation.
In
Shadow shades
We wander
Lost
To love
And
Lost
To faith.
Lost
To You!

Silent Mr. John

Dear John,

Naah! Never mind.
Your name is
All over the walls here.
Just wanted to get
Some things straight
With you.
Like knowing your
Preferred corner
For sulking
Unseen, unheard.
I promise
I’ll stay out of it.
Your night-time watch
And
Silent footfall
Are slightly discomforting.
When I’m sleeping,
I’m sleeping.
So
No watching me over
Or
Studying me through
Or
Sitting by my bed.
And
This thing with the door
Open, close, open;
Not done.
So please
Don’t swing it.
Rest,
Just stay in peace.
So long!
Goodnight John.

P.S. Can spirits write?
Or
Will you whisper your answer tonight?


Saturday, April 20, 2013

Rhyme of Love


For love
Can wait
A century
Yet not grow old;
For love
Is one kingdom
Where death
Has lost its
Hold.
For love
Is a charge
That rests
Beautifully
On this
Slice of heart
So bold.


Rainbow Dreams


The tuck tuck
Typing hands
Worked feverishly
Raced against the time.
She knew the work
Would be but halted
Once he woke up.
But wake up he did
And his morning wail
(The first among
What would be many)
Paused her rhythm.
She scooped him up
In one arm
And continued typing
With the other
While the nursling
Snuggled against her warmth
And fell asleep again.
Her rhythm broke again
Only this time
It was to wonder
What rainbow dreams
Greeted him?

Friday, April 19, 2013

Quest - a work in progress


A little ahead,
A little more,
Tirelessly,
Conquering
One more forte
Then another
And yet another
Only to set out
On another chase.
A little ahead,
A little more.
The quest
Seems to take
That “forever” part
Of life
And yet we yearn
For a little ahead,
A little more.
Forsaking
Everything that matters
Everyone that matters
In the never ending
Struggle
To find a little ahead,
A little more.
The Quest
Always stays
A work in progress
And the life
Just passes by
Like clouds.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Possibly - it was you!


Possibly,
It was you,
Who came calling
The other day,
Knocking at my door,
Stamping your feet
At the door mat,
(Impatient aren’t you?)
And you waited
For what was exactly
An infinitesimally small
Measure of time,
And decided
(On your own)
Not to wait any longer,
Picked up your bags,
And walked away,
Not even caring
To glance back.
So by the time
I made it to the door,
You had already
Crossed over to
The next house.
Now obviously,
Opportunity,
I'd love to meet you
But from what I hear
You don’t come knocking twice.
Is it true?

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Oxy-ssential


Oxygen!
That’s what
He called me.
That’s what I meant to him.
Oxygen!
People say
You need oxygen to live.
I guess
I only needed to look
At him.
Oxygen!
I thought
I could outgrow
The need for it
But him. Never.
Oxygen!
We used it all up
And then
We wilted together.
Oxygen!
Trust me,
You need it
More than
You need love
In life.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Night Falls


Night falls.
Walking in with
Silent footsteps
That go unheard
In the frenzy
Of dusk.
The rich blue tint
Graying every second.
The tapestry
Mesmerizing.
The night falls.
And the light runs
Hiding in the folds
Of the black cloak
Flowing freely.
The night falls.
The whispers of the
Lullabies
Serenading
Like the rustling leaves
On a burning summer eve.
The night falls.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Mom, I am still hungry!


Dinner’s ready!
And so are we.
Ah! The aroma of the
Freshly baked chapattis
So welcoming.
And the motherly love
That comes in dollops
With every morsel.
Unbeatable!
“Done?” Mum asks,
“Done?”  I mull over
I hesitate.
Perhaps the color of my cheek answers.
For here comes another ladle,
Full of love.
Yummy!
The door bell rings
The mirage dissipates
Somewhere in the ringing.
I reluctantly take
The dinner parcel,
Unceremoniously set my plate,
Eat silently
And crave for that ladle
Of love. Of taste.
Mom, I am still hungry!

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Looking for life


What is it that
I was looking for?
Amidst the parched autumn fall
Strewn here and there,
Amidst the blossoms
In the park right next to my house,
In my walks
Made lively with the
Joyful chirping of
The winged friends,
Across the rainbow skies
That greet me at sunrise and sunset,
In the late night walks
On a full moon night,
In the waves breaking at the shores
With their full might,
In roaring thunders
And lightning flashes,
In the showers of the first rain
That have me running
Out on the streets.
Ah yes! Life!
Here it is.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Kidology


Kind attention,
Dear Life!
For your gift:
The kaleidoscope
Of dreams
And for likelihood,
That
This plaything
Stands some chance
At life
I am
Definitely
Loving you!
And
Of course,
You’re most welcome!


Thursday, April 11, 2013

Just a call


5:15 A.M.
I wake up not because of the alarm.
No, that has been set for 6:30.
I wake up because my mobile rings.
Or more appropriately in anticipation that it will ring.
Ever since that day.
That fateful day.
When my mobile rang at the most weirdest hour.
Wrong number. Wrong timing.
Still, I wake up.
Every day.
Exactly at 5:15.
Jerky, jittery, edgy.
The silence of the room becomes deafening.
The walls seem to close down on me.
The hanging abstract paintings seem to be come alive.
Their breath heating up the room, suffocating me.
The twisted faces thereon mock me down.
And the jodhpuri red turbaned man from the April calendar looks on.
His frozen eyes seeing me through.
And the empty bed right next to mine, no I don’t even look at it.

The skull, the skeleton, the broken bones, I can handle them.
It is the moths buzzing over them, their wings flapping that I can’t take.
So, I bury myself deep inside the bedspread.
I hear the hovering for some time.
And then silence takes over.
Pin drop silence.
Come on, it was just a call, I tell myself.
Every day. Every night. Before I go to bed.
An errant call. You don’t have to lose your sleep over it. Or sanity.
Just a call.


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

I withers


I:
The mortal,
Inconsequential being;
A mere body,
To a thought;
Five elements,
Blended together,
Like,
Ingredients of,
A perfect recipe,
Amidst the,
Resulting alchemy,
Of which,
This I,
Is born;
Only to be lost,
Someday,
To the earth and ether;
The mighty,
I,
And its mightiness,
Reduced to dust.
Crumpled and crushed.
I
Withers.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Hope - that stays


Hope
That lasts you through
The toughest of times
Hope
That does not leave you alone
In the middle of dark creepy night
Hope
That puts the contorted today together
Building better and brighter tomorrow
Hope
That shines like a golden ray
In the hours of deep despair
Hope
That can you can hold on to
In the loneliest moments
Hope
That calls for last night study
From Xeroxed notes
Hope
That creates presentations
Just in nick of time saving your job
Hope
That whispers love
At every missed heart beat
Hope
When will finds its way
Hope
That stays

Monday, April 8, 2013

A game it was ...


A game
It was.
You and me,
Together.
A tree house
For us
And
A little world
Therein.
Fighting a little
And then
Making up
Soon after.
Wooing one another
With those
Handmade goodies.
Crushing leaves
To cook dinner.
And serving coke
For wine.
Things perfect;
Things beautiful
In the
Innocent bliss of
Alchemy
Called love;
Purifying
Everything
It touched.
And then
We grew up
And the
Game was over
Just like that.

Linking up with Blogging From A to Z

Saturday, April 6, 2013

For who am I


For who am I,
But tiny speck,
And what can I say,
That hasn't been already said
Save this
That I am alive
Because
I am willing to
Face life
And
Fight fears.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Earning Enough?

Lines of worry,
Crisscross on forehead,
Like national highways,
On a national map,
Thanks to the
Rapidly decreasing balance,
After boarding, lodging,
Eating and commutation,
I can only subsist
With whatever spare remains.
Trust me, living on dad’s money
Was easy.
But living on my own
Is not.
Every single penny
Spent from my pocket
Matters now.
Makes me think;  Makes me plan.
Like today.
I have no inclination
To press that
Withdrawal button.
But the queue is growing
And its already my turn.
God! 25th is still a good 20 days away.
A loud voice from the deep recess of heart
"Earning is not enough"
A separate matter remains though
That only earning is not enough
And yet another
That earning is never enough


Linking with Blogging From A to Z - Letter E
Linking with Five Minutes Friday - After

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Dash against Darkness

His walk was more
Dash against the darkness.
Lonely march in lonely lanes.
You could hear voices.

And feel fear.
He wrapped his saffron cloak
A little more tightly
Never breaking his rhythm.
Save for a momentary,
Unnoticeable pause
At the sound of trinkets.
His steps quickened.
But not enough.
The clinking trinkets drew him closer.
And closer. And closer.
Till that lackluster night
Came alive in her
Pristine silver radiance.
Like a moonbeam
On a full moon night
Walking in beauty.
Singing. Dancing.
Tempting. Enticing.
Abandoning.

He has been hunting
The lanes, ever since.
Thriving on rain and mercy.

Linking with Blogging A to Z - Letter D

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Coming home to ...


I am coming home to
Colors of holi
To goodbye days
Of Shivratri
To waning winter
And verdant spring
To green, pristine luxury
And richness called life.
I am finally, coming home.
March marched
A little too quickly
Affording me precisely 5 steps
To live this dream.
So greedy me got busy.
I am coming home to
The splendor of Baisakhi
But knowing this cannot be
I am coming home to
Golden days
And resplendent nights
Of magnificent May
And if that is a no too, then
I am coming home to
August at its best.
But
I am definitely coming home

Linking up with Blogging A to Z : Letter C

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Black jeans or blue?


“Black jeans or blue?”
And all this while
I thought
These would be no-brainers.
 The challenge, I mean,
With an alphabet a day.
Or choosing what to wear
From amongst what are
Just handful of options.
Well, how hard it can be?
But having typed
And re-typed
And re-re-typed
(Am I glad I am not using paper?)
And staring at
The closet left wide open
For what’s been
Exactly don’t know how many hours,
I guess I was mistaken.
May be I am plain brain-fagged.
May be I over-estimated
My poor own self.
But all said and done
I am not doing that bad.
I am nearly done with the post
So what if I am not yet sure
if it is going to be
Black jeans or blue?

Linking up with Blogging From A to Z - Letter B

Monday, April 1, 2013

April, the 1st


Towards late evening
When the dark was rushing in
Covering the blue sky in the
Folds of black mink blanket
I risked a call
“Am stuck. Missed the last connecting bus”
“On my way”
Fifteen minutes pass.
I dial again.
“Crossed Nerchowk”
That’s 15kms!
“Don’t come!”
“Got the bus?”
“April, the 1st
Sorry was not much help.

Linking with Blogging from A to Z A is for April, the 1st