As the sun shines it's way through my windows,
As the dawn embarks it's way through the shadows,
The mask is slowly waving, as to greet me like a friend;
How long before I have to think when in real I will meet a friend?
The house has turned to office, that's to say the least of it;
On the corner is the chair, all day I plan to sit;
The laptop on the table, like a sleeping silent dragon,
If I don't drink a coffee, I may feel like an empty wagon.
I check the climate for it's a risk,the rain might ruin my day;
The work network may go so bleak, I hope it's not today.
The sun at noon can roast me up, I may turn a crispy pie,
But if I say my life is hard, for all it sounds a lie.
I miss the days of gossip, the breaks of fun in the office,
Now if I get a proper chat, I think it can suffice.
A meeting after another, the status shows a red,
We all are struggling harder, to gain our daily bread.
Those who said work from home is useless and against all our laws,
They just cheer at this new way of comfort, all they do is plause.
Gifts are send to the best of minds, tokens of gratitude
Some may brag with all they got, that's a ton of attitude.
The bills have gone just higher, the calls all day I just make,
People think my work is magic , and is just a piece of cake.
All is virtual, from meets to lunch, I can swear its pure dismay,
Some I see to their comfort, say it will be normal when it's May.
The time zones are a nightmare, the calls that never end,
All have needs of their own, it makes my bones go bend;
The work is like a shadow of mine, slowly following behind,
Some peace of mind at home, that's all I need to find.
My family is glad they got me, for I can never be too busy,
I sit at home all day, for them its very fuzzy;
The shop owners all know my eyes, for that is all they see,
Spreading my hand with sanitizers, killing the germs that I can't see.

The dog barks when I start a call, or the mixer is on its way,
The power may fail or the water may stop, whatever may come my way,
I feel lucky than others who have lost a job or has gone severely ill,
With the course of time, it's all just good so I can pay my bill
 

I thought I walked over the skyway, slow, too slow,
I danced and laughed, again laughed.
Looked down a bit, but just saw feet; just a couple, ah mine.
I thought I might see other heads below, but still..

I heard the screams, ah not mine anymore, who cares?
I thought I laughed and laughed till the end.
Ah, I was too optimistic, oh have you been?
The man asked; I danced and laughed again!

He stared, puzzled, and breathed but did not yawn(lucky me?).
Reflective eyes are now wide open, yes they are.
Do I see me weeping and weeping, like for real?
Much more to come, his whispers are widespread!!

Crawling the trashy underway, fast, as to surpass my death,
I  kept wiping my tears; again and again,
Looked up a bit; I still see feet, now many of them.

I thought I was thinking, like for real, you bet?
The man stared, enough is enough, ah well,
I hear the laughter, still not mine, but it echoes forever.
It matters now, much beyond the feet above my head.
 

On the sides of streets
Tracks of rails
All over abandoned grounds and parks
Spaces you ignore
Places you don't look,
I grow green and lush
Leaves and flowers and all.
Not in the forests
Not in the gardens
In grasslands, wetlands and savannahs,
I drink the sunlight
Spread my tender branches
Unfurl my thirsty roots
And let my leaves breathe out life.
On my flowers, the bees make love
On my branches, the finches creep
On my leaves, the thrips feast
From the air my pores breathe out,
Lives the man that walks
The snake that crawls
The birds that fly.
I'm a shrub
That does it's part
To keep this planet
Alive at heart.
But come flood, I'm dead
Come summer, I'm burnt.
When seasons don't kill me,
Humans do.
For parades and processions,
Festivals and funerals,
For roads and gardens and powerplants,
Everyday, I'm killed - 
Blades cutting into my tender stems
Flames burning my leaves alive.
I'm as life as your pug,
As life-giving as any forest plant.
Look at me with your heart,
I'm as infinitely beautiful
As any flower plant in your garden.
I'm a shrub
That does its part
To keep this planet
Alive at heart.
But what I'm now 
Is a dying tribe.
Like we share a lung
Let's share the earth.
Love us not
Show us some sympathy.
Let us live.
 

Oh! The irony of the snowman-
When the world is basking in summer warmth
Of springing flowers and singing birds
He’s nowhere to be seen.
But come the winter,
And the earth is but a frozen whiteland
As life is engulfed in the languid cold
His face emerges happy and bright.
Who art thou snowman?
Are you the harbinger of the cold?
A blend of art or a toy for play?
Or a totem of hope to see the dark days through?
Creating memories could be the reason
You are here in this season

You’ll be gone when the sun rises;
I will wait for the next winter.

A walk through the lane
Lined with gable roofed houses
Some of them uninhabited
Some having elderly people

Their bodies seated on the frontage
And their weak looking faces
They were peering into me
I knew I was an intruder

I had stepped into another world
Air, light, water, earth and space
All were new to me.
Suddenly, I heard a  sound

It was sweet and musical
And grew into a deep tone
But soon narrowed to a feeble hum
Replaced with an unpleasant wail

A panic-stricken cry of a baby
Along with the harsh yell from a lady
My mind sauntered back and forth
Wished to get familiar with the place

Suddenly he took a left turn or was it right;
He guided me through the path
Pointing to the end of the street
And said, "That is where you live."

Company :  

Gun shots firing, bombs exploding
Is this all necessary
Oil, land, race, the list is long and scary
Why can't we be all forgiving?
Soldiers fight and lose their lives
While politicians hide in their luxurious hives
They struggle, they starve, they fight, they die
Following orders and not asking why
What do we gain from all this fight?
Aren't we all sharing the same starry night
Think on it my friend for what it's worth
Let's stop this nonsense of war and peace
Come let's hug each other
Lets show that we are all just One Piece

When I was a child,
I would play in my mother’s garden.
Blooming trees circled it.
There were lush white magnolia flowers,
pink redbuds and cherry blossoms.
Also, my favourite mango tree,
the ever aromatic citrus blossom,
and tasty apricots and peaches.
Adorned with daffodils, dahlias, and daisies,
and fallen flowers that carpeted the garden floor.
I recall the sweet scent of the lavenders,
how the delicate crimson roses and sunset yellow chrysanthemum,
pink peonies, blue sage and violet tulips colored the garden.
There was a pond with blue water lilies.
It was vivid with colors and the chirping birds.
Today I look at the garden and lament
it has lost the colors
Now it’s always winter in my mother’s garden.
No flowers bloom, trees have lost their leaves
Frozen pond and no birds in sight.
I await the spring,
but there’s an eternal winter in my mother’s garden.
It is a museum of the flowers that bloomed there once,
a graveyard of her hopes,
a memorial of lost dreams.
Perhaps I am the keeper.
Though I know it’s fruitless,
I wander around in the cold, seeking to nurture the garden
I never stopped pulling out the frozen weeds.
But the garden remains white as ever.
For it is always winter in my mother’s garden.
One morning when I peered out,
I saw a smidgen of pink against the white
I ran out into the garden.
There amidst the silvery white backdrop
a single Camillia had bloomed.

“He loves me so much!”, she thought.
Why, he’s always so romantic and naughty
Like the hero in a movie, teasing and courting his leading lady.
He pursued her endlessly, sweeping her off her feet,
Until she was in love, oh so completely!

“He loves me so much!”, she thought.
It’s only society he worries, who would diminish his value, see him as less
If she carried out her plan and not burden her dad from excessive wedding expense!
A wedding does come, once in our lifetime,
But it made her cringe some, seeing her dad stress for every dime.

“He loves me so much!”, she thought.
It’s just that he needs unwinding after work, a little TV and a pint of beer, is his manly quirk.
“Lucky you!”, she’d always think, after work when she cleaned the plates, off the dirty sink.
It’s just that he doesn’t know, poor man, how to wash, cook or clean
While she was the ‘skilled superwoman’, the ‘born multitasker’, as he’d say with a wink.

“He loves me so much!”, she thought.
It’s for our combined future he saves unnecessary gifts for her, when he evades.
The Value of money he’s learnt the hard way, practicality is important, emotions don’t make him sway.
It was perplexing, the no-spend list, so long.
What would she have done, had Mr. Perfect not come along?

“He loves me!”, she thought.
“It’s just momentary anger”, he’d say,
When he screamed at her and drove with that reckless sway.
“Little fights, which couple doesn’t have”, he’d quip,

When she couldn’t understand, the long arguments and practically no friendship.

“He still loves me!”, she thought
“But why the constant anger”, she’d wonder,
She was carrying their child, was that no reason for his heart to grow fonder?
Why this constant sadness and streaming tear, where did happy days, weeks and months disappear?
“All would be fine”, she’d still think, although she found herself, always at the depression brink.

“He does love me!”, she thought
Let me be extra nice, put behind the past and break that ice.
As his childhood friend came to stay, she served them happily, night and day.
It warmed her heart to see their friendly bicker, over coffee, tea and countless glasses of liquor.
She cooked and cleaned, an infant by her side, in cloud nine, to see him laughing after such a long while.

She did find them whispering at times, some man-to-man talk, she casually brushed aside.

Until she heard in his inebriated state, her husband of 10 years, boasting of another wife, to his mate!

In that instant, the world around her shattered, as one little thought, through her numb mind battered.

“Oh, he doesn’t really love me!”, for the first time she thought. Her soulmate, he was surely not!

Though that thought, brought her to her knees,
Months and years of agony, breaking her heart to one million piece.
But that single thought finally liberated her.
For there was left, no more doubt, that a better life awaited her.

It choked her, it chaffed her, made her desperate to the core
But she held on and finally showed him the door.

Never love anyone so much that you are blind.
Focus on you, that’s more worthwhile.
No one is more important than you, love yourself first.
Let no one tell you what to do now and then next.
As one wise woman had once said: Once your parents have raised you,
There’s no more raising, someone else has to do!

Why? A Question unanswered now, unanswered today and unanswered forever.
A question so mockingly rhetoric
Answering with its vanishing presence
A vanishing presence, so apt yet so cruel
A moment so cruel, yet so colossal
Crashing through life, breaking this existence
Causing ripples, silently rising and growing
The object, the cause, has sunk silently
Yet the ripples remain forever
Crashing onto the shore at moments
Bringing memories, so sweet, so much missed
Hopes, wishes which will exist
As they are, mere ripples,
Which will one day crash onto the shore
With each crash reality dawning, the finality, the futility, the helplessness
the cruelty, the pity, the anger,
the void, the void, the void…
and floating in it the omnipresent question
Why?

I wish to be a rolling stone
So hard that I can endure
The pressure of expectations,
The pain of false promises,
The catastrophe of falls and failures.

I wish to be a rolling stone
So strong that I am tough enough
To be heartless to the false emotions,
To ignore the unkind souls around,
To smile with a broken heart.

I wish to be a rolling stone
So seasoned that I can
Neglect the deliberate manipulations,
Be resilient to bounce from setbacks,
Stay poised to flourish and thrive so long.

I wish to be a rolling stone
So durable as it should be
To withstand the likely encounters,
To leave a signature behind,
To shine in the brightest light.

I wish to be a rolling stone
In the hands of a perfect craftsman
Who can bring me soul and life,
The blood and bone to survive
In this surreal world of uncertainties.

Days are many,

Favorite’s few..

Make the day for a friend or foe

And you will look for days afore

Memories are endless,

Precious few..

Be the special for a dear or near

And you will have a treasure forever

Smiles are everywhere,

Honest few...

Be the cheer for a toddler or youth

And you will have nay, tears of untruth

Paths are countless,

Journey one..

Be the spark for the lost ' n dark

And brightened will be your way now ' n ever

Hands are plenty,

Helpful few..

Be the bold for weak ' n  frail

And stronger you will be, in your storms

Chances  we may not get often,

But choices we can make..

Be the right for the wrong as well

And Life is never gonna be the same...

Those magic words once spoken, 
World around us was shaken-
Each moment seemed to possess a charm,
As the bond between us grew so warm...
That sweet fragrance of bonding,
Was too hesitant to remain in hiding,
And our dreams bloomed in no time-
It was time for wedding bells to chime!!!

But the sun and stars forbid to consent,
For they foresaw the deadly destiny ahead!
All our dreams just shattered-
As the stars with no mercy,
Gave the verdict as separation forever!
And that day and night,
I hated fate with all my might...

In me I had no fortitude,
And in despair, I confined myself in solitude!
Pals took her place,
But it took me more than a handful to fill that space!

It has been years since that day-
The stars pronounced the judgement so grave.
And still my eyes brim with tears-
As I quote my love as hatred so fierce!
Never can I listen to words that preach,
When each day she goes farther, beyond my reach. 

I wait for the return of the wind that passed by me,
Yet deep down the heart weeps upon realizing the certainty that it won't.
The wind, with its delicate touch and graceful wings, 
Will never come back into my solitude.
The wind that felt like the soft caress of someone dear;
The wind that whispered sweet nothings in my ear;
The wind that sang its melodies for me while it-
Searched for shade among the trees in the orchard;
The same wind has left me and again into solitude, I plunge.
The same solitude that embraces as well as kills me-little by little.

Walking hands in hands,
we walk through the sands!
our footprints sang the song of love!
yet we never heard it!
wind gazed at us!
why idiots are always silent?
yet we remained silent!
our footprints were always aching,
lets always be together!
but cruel wave of fate washed it away!
but when you reached far and turned back,
your eyes were silently weeping,
“I loved you more than you did” &&&
“I missed you more than you did”

From a middle class family
To a near by school..
All that bothered was
 a walk to home for lunch..
 My parents didn't know about the complexity
 For history and geography in std one..
 And being the topper
 People exclaimed
 Why not a bigger school??
 My dad turned to be Einstein
 Eureka... Alas a convent school..
 Admissions closed..
 But headmistress excited with my achievements..
 To class two..
 Dad found it easy 
 For two kids in same school
 As travel was better
 Excelled in sports and Arts..
 Studies and goodness..
 To the higher convent school for class 5
 No big memories so far..
 For sometimes I have astonished 
 If I had amnesia..
 Yes.. my third school paved a way..
 Land of girls..
 Fullest of freedom..
 Deep down I was an introvert..
 Picked me up from the pool of apples..
 To the height of accomplishments..
 Not a notable person of rewards
 But to know who I am..
 Interests were explored..
 A nightingale in the choir..
 An artist in the dreams..
 An athlete in the ground..
 A sportsperson in the court..
 A Leader for the entire school..
 Teacher's pet..
 Famous to be a boyy..
 Known for naughtiness..
 87 percent in 10th was not appreciated by parents..
 But I was happy to the core..
 For school was my home..
 Organiser..event manager.. 
 Humanitarian.. facilitator..
 A bookish worm to a crackerjack..
 Finally the second topper..
 Never dropped a tear on the final day
 For I know it is my home 
 And I can walk in any time..
 Now back to the school
 Is not a collection of memories
 For they made living moments in me ..
 Was , is and will be my home alwayssss…
 

Oh mirror mirror, don't call my baby beautiful!
Call her rational, so she doesn't waste hours before you.
 
Hey kith and kin, don't gift her those shimmery dressed barbie dolls,
For she has her eyes for the racing cars her brother owns.
 
Dear Mom, don't nag her wear those tingling anklets,
For she craves for that pair of skating shoes at the store.
 
Oh beloved family, don't beset her with glaze-eyed soft toys,
For they whisper to her, "Be like us! Static.. Rooted, in your golden cage!"
 
Hey commercials, do not offer her those fairness creams,
For she never frets over those newly broken out acne scars.
 
Hey dear World, break the stereotypes for her, shatter down the taboos,
Let her acquaint with you and spread justice over generations!

The mother left for the fields,

her baby sound and sleep.

In her world of dreams

would she curl for an hour or two.

The mother left for the fields,

leaving her heart behind.

She has work to do,

and be back ‘fore its late.

The mother scurried along,

the winding narrow lanes,

which leads to the fields,

where she toils till sun leaves.

Her eyes were set afar,

to the mountains and beyond,

but all she could see,

was her little baby’s face.

The whistling thrush

by the dandelion bush,

and the dancing robin

in the muddy hoggin,

all were seen by

her weary eyes, but

not went up to

her heart at home.

The worn-out legs

had miles to walk.

The callus hands

had a sickle and a bag.

The path was lovely,

green and all.

But all her mind sought

was her baby’s smile.

On this mesmerizing winter evening

as the sun sinks below the skyline

I sunk deep into my fond memories

The brush-like strokes on the sky

changing its tone from light to rich shades

and painting new colours to my life's canvas

A long journey in my memory lane

leading to the long roads lit by the moon

making its strides as marvelous as stars

Never agonizing about the destination

nor anguishing about the hurdles to cross

as no road is long with a comforting company,

which is cherished more than the journey or destination!

The covid times

of all the boundaries

set for sure

we try to vandalize

from mother nature

Pack and toddle

Indoors to indoors

Hold your breath

In fear of contact

The beat is clear

like the clock is stuck

Roam for the unseen

space that is native

speak of the unsure

time that seems naive

The beat is clear

like the clock is stuck

Love to be with

Miss to be kith and kin

Dare for today may

fear for tomorrow

The beat is clear

like the clock is stuck

Cure is a way seen

Life needs a coin

Age is the weigh bar

Immune is the key on a par

The beat is clear

like the clock is stuck

Loud is rare

Count is aware

Rule off the news

or be fool of the pools

The be

at is clear

like the clock is stuck

A new dream,

With thoughts galore, open hearted

Cleared the decks, it hurts,

No one cares

Dreams galore, dreams

It makes you,

But does it ruin you

In every form

It’s a pain. Tears…galore…..

Met many on the go

None cast an impression

You have to be pure

To fear that holiness

Come abode, feel the warmth.

Thumping beats

Dried up lips, who cares

To hear the wailing voice, its silence

Erie silence.

Dried up often

It’s all over in a whisker

Oh! The pain

It’s intoxicated

It spreads…..

What’s happening?

I’m losing...

I’m losing my charm

I’m losing my thoughts

I’m losing my dreams...

Love the stars,

Love the moon

Love everything

As a roaring likeness to waves.

It isn’t crazy

Is it….

A sort of madness…

It isn’t resolute

Still the ruptures has cast its spell

No its not

Why this to me?

It’s the waging war.

With a heavy heart

I may not be the same

But those twinkling and bubbly eyes.

I’m still continuing my journey

Two stars,

That twinkles the whole day

Make my life shine brighter.

Empty at heart,

Didn’t bother to take it away

Still it swept by

I didn't knew that it was draining

Under my feet.

It was late

Very late!